Carvahall Reads Eragon
by Redneck IC Fan
Summary: Roran receives the Inheritance Cycle Two weeks after Eragon and Brom run away. Join him as he and a few others from Carvahall read the books and learn what really happened at the farm, and what is to come. Longer summery inside. UP FOR ADOPTION, just PM me
1. Shade of Fear

**Hey guys. This is my first story and since I could not find any characters reading Inheritance cycle stories with more than one chapter let alone done I thought I would give it a try. **

**Summary: Some people from Carvahall get together and read the Inheritance Cycle starting with Eragon. Takes place two weeks after Garrows death and Eragon running away. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Inheritance Cycle that is all Christopher Paolini. I don't feel like putting that at the beginning of every chapter so this disclaimer stands for this whole story. **

Carvahall Reads Eragon

Intro

Roran sat in his room at Horst's house thinking about all that had happened over the last two weeks, and his return from Therinsford. His father's death and burial, Eragons disappearance along with the old story teller Brom, his farms destruction, and Broms letter to him. He cursed into the empty room. This was all Eragons fault that much he was sure of, if he would have left that stupid rock in the Spine the strangers would not have come to Carvahall and his father would still be alive and his farm would still be intact. He wanted to know why Eragon ran away with Brom without telling anyone and before Garrow's burial.

As that thought ran through Rorans head a bright green light flashed in the room. Roran scrambled to his feet and looked around to see a set of four books sitting on the table next to his bed. Slowly Roran approached the table and picked up the first book, though he could not read there was no mistaking what was written on the cover **ERAGON**. Why was his cousin's name on a book? He looked at the other three but did not recognize the writing so he decided to take them down to the kitchen to show Elain the books.

Going down to the kitchen Roran found Horst and Elain sitting at the table talking. The talking stopped when they saw him enter; _they must be talking about Eragon _he thought to himself bitterly.

"Good morning Roran how was your night?" Elain asked kindly.

"It was fine, as good as can be I guess."

Elain looked at him sympathetically

"Are you hungry I have some food here?" She said pointing to the counter.

"No thank you."

"What do you have there Roran?" Horst asked looking at what was in his hands.

"I was sitting on the bed thinking, and out of nowhere there was a green flash of light and these books were on the table."

"What kind of books?" asked Horst.

"Well I can't read but I think you should take a look." Roran said handing them over to Horst.

When Horst saw the title his face took on a shocked expression and he showed it to Elain and she gasped.

"What does this mean?" Elain asked Horst

"I do not know." Horst replied opening the book.

"There is a note written on the inside cover." Horst said

"What does it say?" Roran asked

"Hello Roran, Horst, and Elain." The three in the kitchen looked at each other in surprise. "I have sent these books to you in the hopes that you will better understand Garrows death and Eragon and Broms flight from carvahall. Some of what you will read has already come to pass and the rest will be of upcoming events. Please note that you cannot change your fate, what shall be shall be, but you can be better prepared for what is to come. There will be others reading with you, they are: Baldor, Albriech, Morn, Sloan, Katrina, Birgit, Gertrude, Quimby, and Loring. They will be with you momentarily; they know that they are coming to read something very important though they do not know it is about Eragon. May the stars watch over you."

When Horst had finished the note he sat the book on the table and looked up at Elain and Roran and saw they were as shocked as he himself was. Just then Baldor and Albriech walked in and sat at the table. There was only time for a short hello because the others started arriving as well.

Roran saw when Katrina and Sloan walked in, her presents lit up the room like the sun, and even in his saddened state a smile came to his lips when their eyes meet. Once every one was seated Sloan asked

"What have we been called here for Horst?"

"Roran found some books and they came with a note." He stated.

"What does that have to do with anything? What does that have to do with us?" asked Sloan.

"Well the note said you needed to be here and because these books have to do with… Eragon."

There was a mixture of expressions, shock on some and curiosity on others, while Sloan adopted a distasteful look that he usually got when Eragon was brought up.

"So? Why would I want to read about him?" Sloan asked.

"Father please we were all sent here to read there must be a reason." Katrina interrupted.

"Look I say we start reading." Horst said. "Roran would you like to go first?''

Roran blushed "I… I can't read."

"That's ok Roran. Well if there are no objections I will start.'' Said Horst opening the first book.

"**Prologue: Shade of Fear" **Horst began.

**Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that would change the world. A tall Shade **

"Shade? What does a Shade have to do with Eragon?" Roran asked.

"How should we know, it's not like we know what's happening any more then you do, so why don't you stop talking and let Horst read." Snapped Sloan.

"You're talking more than I am." Muttered Roran low enough that only Albriech and Baldor could hear.

**lifted his head and sniffed the air. He looked human except for his crimson hair and maroon eyes. **

**He blinked in surprise. The message had been correct: they were here. Or was it a trap? **

**He weighed the odds, then said icily, "Spread out; hide behind trees and bushes. Stop whoever is coming . . . or die."**

"I wonder who he is trying to ambush?" Said Loring

"I feel sorry for them whoever they are." Stated Elain. Most everyone else nodded their heads in agreement. Only Sloan refrained for as long as Katrina was safe what did he care that some stranger was about to die.

**Around him shuffled twelve Urgals **

Everyone made a face at the mention of Urgals and some muttered "Beast." or " foul creatures."

**with short swords and round iron shields painted with black symbols. They resembled men with bowed legs and thick, brutish arms made for crushing. A pair of twisted horns grew above their small ears. The monsters hurried into the brush, grunting as they hid. Soon the rustling quieted and the forest was silent again. The Shade peered around a thick tree and looked up the trail. It was too dark for any human to see, but for him the faint moonlight was like sunshine streaming between the trees; every detail was clear and sharp to his searching gaze. He remained unnaturally quiet, a long pale sword in his hand. A wire-thin scratch curved down the blade. The weapon was thin enough to slip between a pair of ribs, yet stout enough to hack through the hardest armor. **

**The Urgals could not see as well as the Shade; they groped like blind beggars, fumbling with their weapons. An owl screeched, cutting through the silence. No one relaxed until the bird flew past. Then the monsters shivered in the cold night; one snapped a twig with his heavy boot. The Shade hissed in anger, and the Urgals shrank back, motionless. He suppressed his distaste—they smelled like fetid meat—and turned away. They were tools, nothing more. **

"They sound terrible." Katrina said with the other women and a few of the men agreeing.

"That they do, luckily the only one I have ever seen is hanging on a wall." Said Loring

**The Shade forced back his impatience as the minutes became hours. The scent must have wafted far ahead of its owners. He did not let the Urgals get up or warm themselves. He denied himself those luxuries,**

"Well at least he's uncomfortable." Morn said speaking for the first time.

**too, and stayed behind the tree, watching the trail. Another gust of wind rushed through the forest. The smell was stronger this time. Excited, he lifted a thin lip in a snarl. **

"**Get ready," he whispered, his whole body vibrating. The tip of his sword moved in small circles. It had taken many plots and much pain to bring himself to this moment. It would not do to lose control now. **

"Whoever they are trying to ambush must be powerful if what the stories say are true about a Shades strength, and he needs help from Urgals to kill or catch them." Baldor said.

"Maybe it's the king or his army." Suggested Loring.

"We would find out the answer faster if you would let him read." Interjected Sloan.

With that Horst continued reading.

**Eyes brightened under the Urgals' thick brows, and the creatures gripped their weapons tighter. Ahead of them, the Shade heard a clink as something hard struck a loose stone. Faint smudges emerged from the darkness and advanced down the trail. Three white horses with riders cantered toward the ambush, their heads held high and proud, their coats rippling in the moonlight like liquid silver. On the first horse was an elf**

"An elf? What would a Shade want with elves?" Roran scoffed.

"They might know something or have something that the Shade wants." Reasoned Gertrude.

**with pointed ears and elegantly slanted eyebrows. His build was slim but strong, like a rapier. A powerful bow was slung on his back. A sword pressed against his side opposite a quiver of arrows fletched with swan feathers. The last rider had the same fair face and angled features as the other. He carried a long spear in his right hand and a white dagger at his belt. A helm of extraordinary craftsmanship, wrought with amber and gold, rested on his head. **

"Must be wealthy or of some importance to be dressed so fine. So why does he carry such weapons?" Asked Albriech.

"Who knows, all we have to go on is legend and who knows how much of that is actually true." Quimby stated.

**Between these two rode a raven-haired elven lady, who surveyed her surroundings with poise. Framed by long black locks, her deep eyes shone with a driving force. Her clothes were unadorned, yet her beauty was undiminished. At her side was a sword, and on her back a long bow with a quiver. She carried in her lap a pouch that she frequently looked at, as if to reassure herself that it was still there. **

"So they are carrying something that he wants, but if it is so important why are there only three of them guarding it, and a woman as well. It's just strange." Horst said.

**One of the elves spoke quietly, but the Shade could not hear what was said. The lady answered with obvious authority, and her guards switched places. The one wearing the helm took the lead, shifting his spear to a readier grip. They passed the Shade's hiding place and the first few Urgals without suspicion. **

**The Shade was already savoring his victory when the wind changed direction and swept toward the elves, heavy with the Urgals' stench. The horses snorted with alarm and tossed their heads. The riders stiffened, eyes flashing from side to side, then wheeled their mounts around and galloped away. **

**The lady's horse surged forward, leaving her guards far behind.**

"Well apparently whatever she is carrying is more important than her companions." Said Sloan bluntly.

**Forsaking their hiding, the Urgals stood and released a stream of black arrows. The Shade jumped out from behind the tree, raised his right hand, and shouted, "Garjzla!" **

**A red bolt flashed from his palm toward the elven lady**

"Magic!" Exclaimed a shocked Katrina.

**, illuminating the trees with a bloody light. It struck her steed, and the horse toppled with a high-pitched squeal, plowing into the ground chest-first. She leapt off the animal with inhuman speed,**

Albrieck snorted "Well of course it was inhuman seeing as she is not human." But there was a grimace on his face. Human or not no one should have to go through that.

**landed lightly, then glanced back for her guards. **

**The Urgals' deadly arrows quickly brought down the two elves. They fell from the noble horses, blood pooling in the dirt. As the Urgals rushed to the slain elves, the Shade screamed, "After her! She is the one I want!" The monsters grunted and rushed down the trail. **

**A cry tore from the elf's lips as she saw her dead companions.**

The women had sad expressions listening to the elf woman's plight. Roran glanced over at Katrina and wished that he could comfort her, but he knew that was impossible while Sloan was in the room.

**She took a step toward them, then cursed her enemies and bounded into the forest. **

**While the Urgals crashed through the trees, the Shade climbed a piece of granite that jutted above them. From his perch he could see all of the surrounding forest. He raised his hand and uttered, "Istalri boetk!" and a quarter-mile section of the forest exploded into flames.**

"It sounds so farfetched I almost can't believe it's true. This magic stuff, it's unbelievable." Roran said

"The world is strange place with many strange things but I understand what you mean." Replied Horst

**Grimly he burned one section after another until there was a ring of fire, a half-league across, around the ambush site. The flames looked like a molten crown resting on the forest. Satisfied, he watched the ring carefully, in case it should falter. The band of fire thickened, contracting the area the Urgals had to search. Suddenly, the Shade heard shouts and a coarse scream. Through the trees he saw three of his charges fall in a pile, mortally wounded. He caught a glimpse of the elf running from the remaining Urgals. **

"How can a woman kill Three Urgals? Most men can't even kill a single one." Said Sloan scornfully.

Birgit bristled and said "Yes, most men can't, you included. Maybe it has something to do with her being and elf."

Sloan opened his mouth to respond but Horst started reading to stop him.

**She fled toward the craggy piece of granite at a tremendous speed. The Shade examined the ground twenty feet below, then jumped and landed nimbly in front of her. She skidded around and sped back to the trail. Black Urgal blood dripped from her sword, staining the pouch in her hand. **

**The horned monsters came out of the forest and hemmed her in, blocking the only escape routes. Her head whipped around as she tried to find a way out. Seeing none, she drew herself up with regal disdain. The Shade approached her with a raised hand, allowing himself to enjoy her helplessness. **

"**Get her." **

**As the Urgals surged forward, the elf pulled open the pouch, reached into it, and then let it drop to the ground. In her hands was a large sapphire stone **

Horst stopped reading and looked at Roran who had a shocked expression that matched his own.

"That… that was the stone that Eragon said he found in the spine, the one that got my father killed. How did it get from there to the spine?" Asked Roran in a hard voice. If it wasn't for that accursed stone his father would still be alive.

"I'm not sure, but I think we have found out what this book has to do with Eragon." Said Horst.

**that reflected the angry light of the fires. She raised it over her head, lips forming frantic words. Desperate, the Shade barked, "Garjzla!" **

**A ball of red flame sprang from his hand and flew toward the elf, fast as an arrow. But he was too late. A flash of emerald light briefly illuminated the forest, and the stone vanished. **

"She is a magician!" Stated Loring "That's how the stone ended up in the spine. The real question is why did she send it there of all places?"

**Then the red fire smote her and she collapsed. **

**The Shade howled in rage and stalked forward, flinging his sword at a tree. It passed halfway through the trunk, where it stuck, quivering.**

"Wow he is strong." Said Baldor with his mouth hanging open.

**He shot nine bolts of energy from his palm—which killed the Urgals instantly—then ripped his sword free and strode to the elf. **

**Prophecies of revenge, spoken in a wretched language only he knew, rolled from his tongue. He clenched his thin hands and glared at the sky. The cold stars stared back, unwinking, otherworldly watchers. Disgust curled his lip before he turned back to the unconscious elf. **

Laughing for the first time this chapter Baldor said "Well he obviously isn't too happy that the stone got away from him. I just can't figure out why the stone is so important to him or the elf for that matter."

**Her beauty, which would have entranced any mortal man, held no charm for him. He confirmed that the stone was gone, then retrieved his horse from its hiding place among the trees. After tying the elf onto the saddle, he mounted the charger and made his way out of the woods. **

**He quenched the fires in his path but left the rest to burn. **

"That is the end of the chapter. Who would like to read next?" Asked Horst.

"I will give it a go it should get interesting." Said Gertrude taking the book from Horst.

**Ok so how was it? I will be updating as often as possible I have 6 chapters done so far but I wont put them up all at once, I will put up one more tonight and then like 2 times a week. Like I said before this is my first story so let me know how to make it better? Should I bring someone else in? Should they be from the present, past or future? Things like that. Can you figure out who sent them the books? It should be really easy so if you cant then you arnt real IC fans. **


	2. Discovery

**Ok here comes Chapter 2. **

"**DISCOVERY" **read Gertrude.

**Eragon knelt in a bed of trampled reed grass and scanned the tracks with a practiced eye. The prints told him that the deer had been in the meadow only a half-hour before. Soon they would bed down. His target, a small doe with a pronounced limp in her left forefoot, was still with the herd. He was amazed she had made it so far without a wolf or bear catching her. **

"Eragon always was a top notch tracker and hunter." Said Horst. "The best in Carvahall, he was a natural."

Loring nodded in agreement. "You won't catch me going that deep into the Spine."

Sloan made a face at the mention of the place where he lost his beloved.

**The sky was clear and dark, and a slight breeze stirred the air. A silvery cloud drifted over the mountains that surrounded him, its edges glowing with ruddy light cast from the harvest moon cradled between two peaks. Streams flowed down the mountains from stolid glaciers and glistening snowpacks. A brooding mist crept along the valley's floor, almost thick enough to obscure his feet. **

**Eragon was fifteen, less than a year from manhood. Dark eyebrows rested above his intense brown eyes. His clothes were worn from work. A hunting knife with a bone handle was sheathed at his belt, and a buckskin tube protected his yew bow from the mist.**

"He always did love that bow." Said Roran momentarily forgetting his anger with his cousin for the moment and just missing him.

**He carried a wood-frame pack. **

**The deer had led him deep into the Spine, a range of untamed mountains that extended up and down the land of Alagaësia. Strange tales and men often came from those mountains, usually boding ill. Despite that, Eragon did not fear the Spine—he was the only hunter near Carvahall who dared track game deep into its craggy recesses. It was the third night of the hunt, and his food was half gone. If he did not fell the doe, he would be forced to return home empty-handed. His family needed the meat for the rapidly approaching winter and could not afford to buy it in Carvahall.**

Sloan snorted and muttered "Even if he did have money I would not sell to him." Katrina frowned at him and Horst asked.

"What was that Sloan?"

"Oh nothing, continue Gertrude."

**Eragon stood with quiet assurance in the dusky moonlight, then strode into the forest toward a glen where he was sure the deer would rest. The trees blocked the sky from view and cast feathery shadows on the ground. He looked at the tracks only occasionally; he knew the way. **

**At the glen, he strung his bow with a sure touch, then drew three arrows and nocked one, holding the others in his left hand. The moonlight revealed twenty or so motionless lumps where the deer lay in the grass. The doe he wanted was at the edge of the herd, her left foreleg stretched out awkwardly. **

**Eragon slowly crept closer, keeping the bow ready. All his work of the past three days had led to this moment. He took a last steadying breath and—an explosion shattered the night.**

"Could this be when the elf sent the stone?" Wondered Morn.

"Probably, I can think of nothing else that would cause an explosion." Said Horst

**The herd bolted. Eragon lunged forward, racing through the grass as a fiery wind surged past his cheek. He slid to a stop and loosed an arrow at the bounding doe. It missed by a finger's breadth and hissed into darkness. He cursed and spun around, instinctively nocking another arrow. **

**Behind him, where the deer had been, smoldered a large circle of grass and trees. Many of the pines stood bare of their needles.**

"That sounds like a powerful explosion" Stated Albriech in awe.

**The grass outside the charring was flattened. A wisp of smoke curled in the air, carrying a burnt smell. In the center of the blast radius lay a polished blue stone. Mist snaked across the scorched area and swirled insubstantial tendrils over the stone. **

**Eragon watched for danger for several long minutes, but the only thing that moved was the mist. Cautiously, he released the tension from his bow and moved forward. Moonlight cast him in pale shadow as he stopped before the stone. He nudged it with an arrow, then jumped back. Nothing happened, so he warily picked it up.**

"I wish he would have just left it there" said Roran "would have saved a lot of trouble."

Elain looked at him and said "you can't blame him, he had no idea that the stone would cause so much sorrow."

"Your wrong." Said Roran "I can blame him, and I do."

**Nature had never polished a stone as smooth as this one. Its flawless surface was dark blue, except for thin veins of white that spider webbed across it. The stone was cool and frictionless under his fingers, like hardened silk. Oval and about a foot long, it weighed several pounds, though it felt lighter than it should have. **

"I never had a chance to see the stone, which I'm grateful for, but it does sound strange and beautiful." Said Loring.

**Eragon found the stone both beautiful and frightening.**

Baldor laughed "Didn't you just say that Loring?"

"Something like that yes." said Loring chuckling.

_**Where did it come from? Does it**__**have a purpose? **_**Then a more disturbing thought came to him: **_**Was it sent here by**__**accident, or am I meant to have it?**_

"Now that is a good question if I've ever heard one, but I think it was a mistake givin what we just read." Said Horst

"Well I for one want to know for sure because if that elf sent it to him deliberately then it's her fault my family has been torn apart." Said Roran.

**If he had learned anything from the old stories, it was to treat magic, and those who used it, with great caution. **

"Truer words have never been spoken." Quimby said.

"Yes but apparently Eragon did not listen to his own advice because he brought it back with him anyway." Baldor said

_**But what should I do with the stone? **_**It would be tiresome to carry, and there was a chance it was dangerous.**

"It is." Muttered Roran.

**It might be better to leave it behind. A flicker of indecision ran through him, and he almost dropped it, but something stayed his hand. **_**At the very least, it might**__**pay for some food, **_**he decided with a shrug, tucking the stone into his pack. The glen was too exposed to make a safe camp, so he slipped back into the forest and spread his bedroll beneath the upturned roots of a fallen tree. After a cold dinner of bread and cheese, he wrapped himself in blankets and fell asleep, pondering what had occurred. **

"That's the end of it" said Gertrude "who wants to go next."

"I will give it a go." Said Loring.

**Ok so that one is done, but when writing it I found that in the last chapter I was spelling Albriech with a k or could be spelling his name wrong now whatever the case is I will fix it when I get to a place in the book were it shows it. If it sucks let me know and tell what you think I could do to make it better.**


	3. Palancar Valley

**Okay people here you go. I found out that in chapter one I used the word yall and was asked why. The answer is a simple one ****I'm American by birth and SOUTHERN by the grace of God**** it just slips off the tongue. There was actually a part in this chapter that I actually had to pause to think of another word or words to replace it. I ended up going with ****both**** which is really a simple word but still took time which made me laugh. I will also try to watch the fixin to's and aint's but I aint promising anything.**

**YALL ENJOY**

"**PALANCAR VALLEY." **Started Loring.

**The sun rose the next morning with a glorious conflagration of pink and yellow. The air was fresh, sweet, and very cold. Ice edged the streams, and small pools were completely frozen over. After a breakfast of porridge, Eragon returned to the glen and examined the charred area. The morning light revealed no new details, so he started for home. The rough game trail was faintly worn and, in places, nonexistent. Because it had been forged by animals, it often backtracked and took long detours. Yet for all its flaws, it was still the fastest way out of the mountains. **

**The Spine was one of the only places that King Galbatorix could not call his own.**

"Don't say that to his face because it would most likely be the last thing you ever said." Birgit said. While other nodded in agreement.

"When's lunch mom I'm starving?" Asked Albriech holding his rumbling stomach.

"We can eat after this chapter." She replied smiling at her son.

"Katrina can run and grab some meat from the shop." Sloan said in an unexpected fit of kindness.

"I will need some help, maybe Roran can help me?" She asked giving him a conspiratorial smile. She needed to give him a proper hello, and talk with him without her father around.

Smiling back at her he answered. "Sure I don't mind."

Baldor chuckled and said low enough so only Roran could hear. "I bet you don't."

**Stories were still told about how half his army disappeared after marching into its ancient forest. A cloud of misfortune and bad luck seemed to hang over it. **

"Got that right." Muttered Slone.

**Though the trees grew tall and the sky shone brightly, few people could stay in the Spine for long without suffering an accident. Eragon was one of those few—not through any particular gift, it seemed to him, but because of persistent vigilance and sharp reflexes. He had hiked in the mountains for years, yet he was still wary of them. Every time he thought they had surrendered their secrets, something happened to upset his understanding of them—like the stone's appearance. **

**He kept up a brisk pace, and the leagues steadily disappeared. In late evening he arrived at the edge of a precipitous ravine. **

"He's not joking that is a lot of ground to cover in a day." Said Loring.

**The Anora River rushed by far below, heading to Palancar Valley. Gorged with hundreds of tiny streams, the river was a brute force, battling against the rocks and boulders that barred its way. A low rumble filled the air. He camped in a thicket near the ravine and watched the moonrise before going to bed. It grew colder over the next day and a half. Eragon traveled quickly and saw little of the wary wildlife. A bit past noon, he heard the Igualda Falls**

At the mention of the falls both Sloan and Katrina took on very sad expressions and the others looked at them with sympathetic eyes, while Elain and Gertrude softly patted Katrina on the back.

**blanketing everything with the dull sound of a thousand splashes. The trail led him onto a moist slate outcropping, which the river sped past, flinging itself into empty air and down mossy cliffs. Before him lay Palancar Valley, exposed like an unrolled map. The base of the Igualda Falls, more than a half-mile below, was the northernmost point of the valley. A little ways from the falls was Carvahall, a cluster of brown buildings. White smoke rose from the chimneys, defiant of the wilderness around it. At this height, farms were small square patches no bigger than the end of his finger. The land around them was tan or sandy, where dead grass swayed in the wind. The Anora River wound from the falls toward Palancar's southern end, reflecting great strips of sunlight. Far in the distance it flowed past the village Therinsford and the lonely mountain Utgard. Beyond that, he knew only that it turned north and ran to the sea. **

"You would not catch me dead up there, but it does sound beautiful." Said Quimby and the others agreed. Carvahall could not compare to the big cities but they loved it and would not want to live anywhere else.

**After a pause, Eragon left the outcropping and started down the trail, grimacing at the descent. When he arrived at the bottom, soft dusk was creeping over everything, blurring colors and shapes into gray masses. Carvahall's lights shimmered nearby in the twilight; the houses cast long shadows. Aside from Therinsford, Carvahall was the only village in Palancar Valley. The settlement was secluded and surrounded by harsh, beautiful land. Few traveled here except merchants and trappers. **

**The village was composed of stout log buildings with low roofs—some thatched, others shingled. Smoke billowed from the chimneys, giving the air a woody smell. The buildings had wide porches where people gathered to talk and conduct business. Occasionally a window brightened as a candle or lamp was lit. Eragon heard men talking loudly in the evening air while wives scurried to fetch their husbands, scolding them for being late. **

The women laughed while the men adopted sheepish expressions, Horst especially, because Elain was giving him a pointed look.

**Eragon wove his way between the houses to the butcher's shop, a broad, thick-beamed building. Overhead, the chimney belched black smoke. **

**He pushed the door open. The spacious room was warm and well lit by a fire snapping in a stone fireplace. A bare counter stretched across the far side of the room. The floor was strewn with loose straw. Everything was scrupulously clean, as if the owner spent his leisure time digging in obscure crannies for minuscule pieces of filth. **

Baldor, Albriech and Roran laughed and Sloan scowled saying "nothing wrong with a clean shop."

**Behind the counter stood the butcher Sloan. A small man, he wore a cotton shirt and a long, bloodstained smock. An impressive array of knives swung from his belt. He had a sallow, pockmarked face, and his black eyes were suspicious. He polished the counter with a ragged cloth. Sloan's mouth twisted as Eragon entered.**

"Why have you never liked Eragon father, what has he done to you?" Asked Katrina

"Since when did you need a reason to not like somebody?" Asked Sloan in return

In truth, it was because he and Garrow had had a falling out that had never been mended. He could not imagine what Katrina; his pride and joy, the apple of his eye, would think of him if she should ever find out about it or the reason. Though Sloan had little to fear now since Garrows' death he is the only one alive to know of what happened between them.

Katrina just sighed and looked to Loring to continue.

"**Well, the mighty hunter joins the rest of us mortals. How many did you bag this time?" **

"**None," was Eragon's curt reply. He had never liked Sloan. The butcher always treated him with disdain, as if he were something unclean. A widower, Sloan seemed to care for only one person—his daughter, Katrina, on whom he doted. **

Katrina could not help but give her father a warm smile, for all his faults he was a loving and caring father. She just wished that he could accept Roran; she couldn't wait till the day that Roran asked her father for her hand in marriage, but she also feared her father's reaction.

"**I'm amazed," said Sloan with affected astonishment. He turned his back on Eragon to scrape something off the wall. "And that's your reason for coming here?" **

"**Yes," admitted Eragon uncomfortably. **

"**If that's the case, let's see your money." Sloan tapped his fingers when Eragon shifted his feet and remained silent. "Come on—either you have it or you don't. Which is it?" **

"**I don't really have any money, but I do—" **

"**What, no money?" **

"There was no need to interrupt the boy Sloan." Gertrude scolded the butcher. She always had been partial to Eragon.

"It's my shop and I will do as I wish." Retorted Sloan

**the butcher cut him off sharply. "And you expect to buy meat! Are the other merchants giving away their wares? Should I just hand you the goods without charge? Besides," he said abruptly, "it's late. Come back tomorrow with money. I'm closed for the day." **

**Eragon glared at him. "I can't wait until tomorrow, Sloan. It'll be worth your while, though; I found something to pay you with." He pulled out the stone with a flourish and set it gently on the scarred counter, where it gleamed with light from the dancing flames. **

"He should have never brought that cursed stone into my shop." Grumbled Sloan

"He should never have brought that cursed stone into Carvahall." Corrected Roran

He then bit his tongue, _blast it I should have just agreed with him or kept my mouth shut. I can't afford to cause offence._ Normally Roran would not care overly much, but he had to walk carefully where Sloan was concerned. There was nothing that he would not do for Katrina even bend over backwards for her hair brained father.

"**Stole it is more likely," muttered Sloan, leaning forward with an interested expression. Ignoring the comment, Eragon asked, "Will this be enough?" **

"Eragon is many things but he is not a thief." Roran said

"Well when Eragon went missing so did some leather along with some meat from Slones shop." Birgit reasoned

"True but we don't know why he ran, and we have no proof that he is the one who stole those things. Hopefully by reading this we will learn more." Said Horst

Loring continued.

**Sloan picked up the stone and gauged its weight speculatively. He ran his hands over its smoothness and inspected the white veins. With a calculating look, he set it down. "It's pretty, but how much is it worth?" **

"**I don't know," admitted Eragon, "but no one would have gone to the trouble of shaping it unless it had some value." **

"**Obviously," said Sloan with exaggerated patience. "But how much value? Since you don't know, I suggest that you find a trader who does, or take my offer of three crowns." **

"Three crowns, really Sloan? If it was anyone else you would have offered three times that!" Exclaimed Elain.

Birgit had her lips smashed together in a thin line. She had not been close to Eragon compared to those like Horst and his family, but she was of the opinion that he was a kind and honest boy and was not happy at Sloans treatment of him.

Katrina's face was set in a frown, not liking her fathers treatment of her hopefully future brother in-law. **( A/N I hope I did the in-law thing right or should it be in law IDK and IDC)**

"**That's a miser's bargain! It must be worth at least ten times that," protested Eragon. Three crowns would not even buy enough meat to last a week. **

**Sloan shrugged. "If you don't like my offer, wait until the traders arrive. Either way, I'm tired of this conversation." **

**The traders were a nomadic group of merchants and entertainers who visited Carvahall every spring and winter. They bought whatever excess the villagers and local farmers had managed to grow or make, and sold what they needed to live through another year: seeds, animals, fabric, and supplies like salt and sugar. **

**But Eragon did not want to wait until they arrived; it could be a while, and his family needed the meat now. "Fine, I accept," he snapped. **

"**Good, I'll get you the meat. Not that it matters, but where did you find this?" **

"**Two nights ago in the Spine—" **

"**Get out!" demanded Sloan, pushing the stone away. He stomped furiously to the end of the counter and started scrubbing old bloodstains off a knife. **

"**Why?" asked Eragon. He drew the stone closer, as if to protect it from Sloan's wrath. **

"**I won't deal with anything you bring back from those damned mountains! Take your sorcerer's stone elsewhere." Sloan's hand suddenly slipped and he cut a finger on the knife, but he seemed not to notice. He continued to scrub, staining the blade with fresh blood. **

"**You refuse to sell to me!" **

"**Yes! Unless you pay with coins," Sloan growled, and hefted the knife, sidling away. **

"That is a crooked thing you did Sloan. You both came to an agreement, which was equally as crooked on your part, and then you backed out. And you call yourself an honorable man?" Said Loring with an incredulous face.

Sloan turned beat red at the accusation and started to stand, but Horst said in a firm voice "That is enough! Sloan sit down, you shall not cause trouble in my home."

"Do you expect me to sit here like a scared rabbit and take this? I will not have my honor questioned!"

"Then leave if it pleases you, I won't stop you." Said Horst looking steadily back at him.

Before Sloan could say or do anything stupid Loring hurried on with the reading.

"**Go, before I make you!" **

**The door behind them slammed open. Eragon whirled around, ready for more trouble.**

_Horst gave a light chuckle, trouble indeed. _

**In stomped Horst, a hulking man. Sloan's daughter, Katrina—a tall girl of sixteen—trailed behind him with a determined expression.**

Sloan looked at his daughter with a questioning expression for he was too preoccupied to notice it the first time around. Which was lucky because if he would have looked over at Roran just then he would have saw that stupid little smile that people get when they are in love.

**Eragon was surprised to see her; she usually absented herself from any arguments involving her father.**

"Which is a rare thing indeed that, imagine, Sloan arguing." Came Lorings voice dripping with sarcasm while some laughed outright and others shook their heads in silent amusement.

**Sloan glanced at them warily, then started to accuse Eragon. "He won't—" **

"**Quiet," announced Horst in a rumbling voice, cracking his knuckles at the same time. He was Carvahall's smith, as his thick neck and scarred leather apron attested. His powerful arms were bare to the elbow; a great expanse of hairy muscular chest was visible through the top of his shirt.**

At his description Horst smiled a smug smile. That is until Elain saw it and playfully slapped his arm saying "don't let it go to your head dear."

**A black beard, carelessly trimmed, roiled and knotted like his jaw muscles. "Sloan, what have you done now?" **

"Always blaming me for things; Sloan my meat tasted bad what did you do to it, Sloan it hasn't rained and my crops won't grow what did you do to anger the spirits ? Ha." Sloan growled under his breath. They could all rot in his opinion

"**Nothing." He gave Eragon a murderous gaze, then spat, "This . . . **_**boy **_**came in here and started badgering me. I asked him to leave, but he won't budge. I even threatened him and he still ignored me!" Sloan seemed to shrink as he looked at Horst. **

"I did not!" He shouted in outrage but was ignored

"**Is this true?" demanded the smith. **

"**No!" replied Eragon. "I offered this stone as payment for some meat, and he accepted it. When I told him that I'd found it in the Spine, he refused to even touch it. What difference does it make where it came from?" **

**Horst looked at the stone curiously, then returned his attention to the butcher. "Why won't you trade with him, Sloan? I've no love for the Spine myself, but if it's a question of the stone's worth, I'll back it with my own money." **

**The question hung in the air for a moment. Then Sloan licked his lips and said, "This is my own store. I can do whatever I want." **

**Katrina stepped out from behind Horst and tossed back her auburn hair like a spray of molten copper. "Father, Eragon **_**is **_**willing to pay. Give him the meat, and then we can have supper." **

"She obviously has her mother's brains." Said Birgit not caring if Sloan heard her since she never really had much patients with the man, even when Ismira was still alive she only put up with him for her.

Sloan ignored her because he was used to it when it came to Birgit, but Katrina gave her a hard glare.

**Sloan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Go back to the house; this is none of your business. **

**. . . I said **_**go**_**!" **

Now she switched her glare to her father, and she was not alone because out of the corner of her eye she saw Roran doing likewise. Her heart warmed and glowed with love, and once again thanked her lucky stars that he loved her as much as she loved him.

**Katrina's face hardened, then she marched out of the room with a stiff back. **

**Eragon watched with disapproval but dared not interfere. Horst tugged at his beard before saying reproachfully, "Fine, you can deal with me. What were you going to get, Eragon?" **

**His voice reverberated through the room. **

"**As much as I could." **

**Horst pulled out a purse and counted out a pile of coins. "Give me your best roasts and steaks. Make sure that it's enough to fill Eragon's pack." **

"I'm so proud of you for doing that" Said Elain smiling at her husband in a way that told him he might just get lucky tonight.

**The butcher hesitated, his gaze darting between Horst and Eragon. "Not selling to me would be a very bad idea," stated Horst. **

**Glowering venomously, Sloan slipped into the back room. A frenzy of chopping, wrapping, and low cursing reached them.**

Albriech and Baldor were laughing at how their father was handling the butcher.

**After several uncomfortable minutes, he returned with an armful of wrapped meat. His face was expressionless as he accepted Horst's money, then proceeded to clean his knife, pretending that they were not there. Horst scooped up the meat and walked outside. Eragon hurried behind him, carrying his pack and the stone. The crisp night air rolled over their faces, refreshing after the stuffy shop. **

"**Thank you, Horst. Uncle Garrow will be pleased." **

At the mention of his father's name Roran felt his great sadness envelop once again, along with his anger at Eragon.

Katrina looked over at her love and saw his grief, wishing more than anything that she could comfort him, but once again unable to because of her father. Sighing at her situation she turned her head.

**Horst laughed quietly. "Don't thank me. I've wanted to do that for a long time. Sloan's a vicious troublemaker; it does him good to be humbled. Katrina heard what was happening and ran to fetch me.**

Sloan looked at his daughter in amazement, _how could she do that to me?_ he thought. His love for her did not let him think that she would do that to him.

"What?" She snapped unable to stop herself "You were being really rude to Eragon."

Now Sloan was not the only one staring at her in surprise for she was usually not one for outburst like that.

**Good thing I came—the two of you were almost at blows. Unfortunately, I doubt he'll serve you or any of your family the next time you go in there, even if you do have coins." **

"**Why did he explode like that? We've never been friendly, but he's always taken our money. And I've never seen him treat Katrina that way," said Eragon, opening the top of the pack. **

**Horst shrugged. "Ask your uncle. He knows more about it than I do." **

**Eragon stuffed the meat into his pack. "Well, now I have one more reason to hurry home**

**. . . to solve this mystery.**

Roran chuckled;_Eragon always did like his mysteries_**, **thought Roran.

**Here, this is rightfully yours." He proffered the stone. Horst chuckled. "No, you keep your strange rock. As for payment, Albriech plans to leave for Feinster next spring. He wants to become a master smith, and I'm going to need an assistant. You can come and work off the debt on your spare days." **

**Eragon bowed slightly, delighted. Horst had two sons, Albriech and Baldor,**

Blador gave a whoop whoop at the mention of his name making some of the others laugh.

**both of whom worked in his forge. Taking one's place was a generous offer. "Again, thank you! I look forward to working with you." He was glad that there was a way for him to pay Horst. His uncle would never accept charity. Then Eragon remembered what his cousin had told him before he had left on the hunt. **

Roran suddenly gasped and turned a fiery red causing the room full of people to stare at him, and for Loring to ask

" What is it Roran?

"Nothing just keep reading." Replied Roran glancing at both Sloan and Katrina in worry.

"**Roran wanted me to give Katrina a message, but since I can't, can you get it to her?" **

Sloan sent a glare at Roran.

"**Of course." **

"**He wants her to know that he'll come into town as soon as the merchants arrive and that he will see her then." **

"**That all?" **

**Eragon was slightly embarrassed. "No, he also wants her to know that she is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen and that he thinks of nothing else." **

Most of the room started laughing or chuckling, although Albriech and Baldor were howling with amusement, but Roran took no notice. He was looking at a beat red Sloan waiting for what he knew was about to come.

"You may as well give up boy, because the only way I will let you be with Katrina is over my corpse! You have no money and no farm to support her with, and even if you did you could still not have her!'' Exclaimed Sloan

"Father! Don't say that." Katrina pleaded with tears in her eyes.

Roran got to his feet in a furry, no one made Katrina cry not even her own father. "I have land and I can farm, and before I ask for her hand; and make no mistake I will ask for her hand I will have built a house. Don't you want her to be happy?" Katrina gave him a slight smile for standing up to her father.

"She can be happy with someone else but not you." Said Sloan.

While focused on each other, the men did not notice that the room had gone deathly quiet as the occupants watched with a variety of expressions. Most thought that Sloan was being unreasonable but held their tongue because it was not their place.

"Enough!" Horsts voice boomed. "This can be discussed at a later time and in a more privet setting, let us continue."

With one last look at each other they reclaimed their seats.

**Horst's face broke into a broad grin, and he winked at Eragon. "Getting serious, isn't he?" **

"**Yes, sir," Eragon answered with a quick smile. "Could you also give her my thanks? It was nice of her to stand up to her father for me. **

"You're welcome Eragon." Said Katrina in a falsely cheery voice trying to cut the tension in the room. It was not completely successful, but most people gave an amused smile.

**I hope that she isn't punished because of it. Roran would be furious if I got her into trouble." **

"Damn right I would be." He agreed.

"You have no right or say in her affairs nor will you ever." Sloan said snidely

"I said that was enough Sloan." Barked Horst

"**I wouldn't worry about it. Sloan doesn't know that she called me, so I doubt he'll be too hard on her. Before you go, will you sup with us?" **

"**I'm sorry, but I can't. Garrow is expecting me," said Eragon, tying off the top of the pack. He hoisted it onto his back and started down the road, raising his hand in farewell. The meat slowed him down, but he was eager to be home, and renewed vigor filled his steps. The village ended abruptly, and he left its warm lights behind. The pearlescent moon peeked over the mountains, bathing the land in a ghostly reflection of daylight. Everything looked bleached and flat. **

**Near the end of his journey, he turned off the road, which continued south. A simple path led straight through waist-high grass and up a knoll, almost hidden by the shadows of protective elm trees. He crested the hill and saw a gentle light shining from his home. The house had a shingled roof and a brick chimney. Eaves hung over the whitewashed walls, shadowing the ground below. One side of the enclosed porch was filled with split wood, ready for the fire. A jumble of farm tools cluttered the other side. The house had been abandoned for half a century when they moved in after Garrow's wife, Marian, died. It was ten miles from Carvahall, farther than anyone else's. People considered the distance dangerous because the family could not rely on help from the village in times of trouble, **

The reading stopped as they took in the words and thought of how true that statement was. Many were thinking that if they have lived closer to Carvahall than Garrow might still be alive, but Roran was not one of them. He was just morning the loss of his father and his home, and even managing to miss Eragon as well.

**but Eragon's uncle would not listen. A hundred feet from the house, in a dull-colored barn, lived two horses—Birka and Brugh—with chickens and a cow. Sometimes there was also a pig, but they had been unable to afford one this year. A wagon sat wedged between the stalls. On the edge of their fields, a thick line of trees traced along the Anora River. He saw a light move behind a window as he wearily reached the porch. "Uncle, it's Eragon. Let me in." A small shutter slid back for a second, then the door swung inward. Garrow stood with his hand on the door. His worn clothes hung on him like rags on a stick frame. A lean, hungry face with intense eyes gazed out from under graying hair. He looked like a man who had been partly mummified before it was discovered that he was still alive. "Roran's sleeping," was his answer to Eragon's inquiring glance. A lantern flickered on a wood table so old that the grain stood up in tiny ridges like a giant fingerprint. Near a woodstove were rows of cooking utensils tacked onto the wall with homemade nails. A second door opened to the rest of the house. The floor was made of boards polished smooth by years of tramping feet. **

**Eragon pulled off his pack and took out the meat. "What's this? Did you buy meat? **

**Where did you get the money?" asked his uncle harshly as he saw the wrapped packages. Eragon took a breath before answering. "No, Horst bought it for us." **

"Wrong choice of words cousin." Said Roran actually able to give a slight laugh.

"Agreed." Horst said. "Garrow always was a proud man, too proud If one is honest about it, but I am a better man for knowing him." Others nodded in agreement with him.

"**You let him pay for it? I told you before, I won't beg for our food. If we can't feed ourselves, we might as well move into town. Before you can turn around twice, they'll be sending us used clothes and asking if we'll be able to get through the winter." Garrow's face paled with anger. **

"**I didn't accept charity," snapped Eragon. "Horst agreed to let me work off the debt this spring. He needs someone to help him because Albriech is going away." **

"**And where will you get the time to work for him? Are you going to ignore all the things that need to be done here?" asked Garrow, forcing his voice down. Eragon hung his bow and quiver on hooks beside the front door. "I don't know how I'll do it," he said irritably. "Besides, I found something that could be worth some money." **

**He set the stone on the table. **

**Garrow bowed over it: the hungry look on his face became ravenous, and his fingers moved with a strange twitch. "You found this in the Spine?" **

"**Yes," said Eragon. He explained what had happened. "And to make matters worse, I lost my best arrow. I'll have to make more before long." They stared at the stone in the near darkness. **

"**How was the weather?" asked his uncle, lifting the stone. His hands tightened around it like he was afraid it would suddenly disappear. **

"**Cold," was Eragon's reply. "It didn't snow, but it froze each night." **

**Garrow looked worried by the news. "Tomorrow you'll have to help Roran finish harvesting the barley. If we can get the squash picked, too, the frost won't bother us." He passed the stone to Eragon. "Here, keep it. When the traders come, we'll find out what it's worth. Selling it is probably the best thing to do. The less we're involved with magic, the better. . . . **

"Could not have said it better myself." Said Quimby **(A/N haha I think that is only the second or third thing he has said and I think he said the same exact thing last time. What is his deal with magic?)**

**Why did Horst pay for the meat?" **

**It took only a moment for Eragon to explain his argument with Sloan. "I just don't understand what angered him so." **

**Garrow shrugged. "Sloan's wife, Ismira, went over the Igualda Falls a year before you were brought here. He hasn't been near the Spine since, nor had anything to do with it. But that's no reason to refuse payment. I think he wanted to give you trouble." **

**Eragon swayed blearily and said, "It's good to be back." Garrow's eyes softened, and he nodded. Eragon stumbled to his room, pushed the stone under his bed, then fell onto the mattress. **_**Home**_**. **

_Yes, home_ thought Roran longingly.

**For the first time since before the hunt, he relaxed completely as sleep overtook him. **

"That is the end of the chapter and a long one at that. Who wants to read next?" Questioned Loring.

"I will after lunch." Elain said.

**WOW! That was long over 5000 words 13 pages. Ok first off, I hope this was better than the 2ed chapter and if not then oh well I gave it all I had. I have got requests to add people and I will. It will be later in the book but it will be this book. I will not be adding Arya or brom for a few reasons mainly because I want to keep as true to this story as possible and at the time the reading takes place Arya is in jail and Brom is with Eragon so they could not be there. Thank you for all the reviews and adds. I can also see why a lot of people only up date once a week because I lost sleep on this thing getting it ready as fast as possible and I will not be able to do chapters this long this fast all the time but short ones I could get out fast enough. Oh and someone actually suggested that I skip too the good chapters, the answer is obviously NO even though there are some I would like to I wont. Ok that's all for now please review. **


	4. Dragon Tales

OK here is chapter 4. Hope you like it and if not oh well.

"I'm sorry for what my father said." Katrina whispered in Rorans ear while they were hugging just inside the door of the meat shop.

"You have nothing to apologies for, he was right I have no money and no farm to support you, all I have left to me is my love for you." He answered with his nose buried in her hair.

"Oh Roran, your love is all I need nothing else matters to me."

"Let's get the meat and get back, I have a feeling things will only get worse from here." Roran said breaking their embrace.

"What with my father or the book?" She questioned

"Both." He said grimily

An hour later lunch was done and everyone was seated at the table again.

"DRAGON TALES" Elain started reading

**At dawn the sun's rays streamed through the window, warming Eragon's face. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up on the edge of the bed. The pine floor was cold under his feet. He stretched his sore legs and rubbed his back, yawning. **

**Beside the bed was a row of shelves covered with objects he had collected. There were twisted pieces of wood, odd bits of shells, rocks that had broken to reveal shiny interiors, and strips of dry grass tied into knots. His favorite item was a root so convoluted he never tired of looking at it. The rest of the room was bare, except for a small dresser and nightstand. **

**He pulled on his boots and stared at the floor, thinking. This was a special day. It was near this very hour, sixteen years ago, that his mother, Selena, had come home to Carvahall alone and pregnant. She had been gone for six years, living in the cities. When she returned, she wore expensive clothes, and her hair was bound by a net of pearls. She had sought out her brother, Garrow, and asked to stay with him until the baby arrived. Within five months her son was born. Everyone was shocked when Selena tearfully begged Garrow and Marian to raise him. When they asked why, she only wept and said, **

"**I must." Her pleas had grown increasingly desperate until they finally agreed. She named him Eragon, then departed early the next morning and never returned.**

As Roran sat there listening to Elain read about how Eragon had come to being in Carvahall. He started thinking about all the good times he and his cousin had had since they were little, and as he sat there he discovered that he was glad that his aunt had left Eragon in Carvahall. Through the years Eragon became more than a cousin; he became a brother and no matter what Roran would always love Eragon.

**Eragon still remembered how he had felt when Marian told him the story before she died. The realization that Garrow and Marian were not his real parents had disturbed him greatly. Things that had been permanent and unquestionable were suddenly thrown into doubt.**

"I cannot imagine how hard that must have been for him." Said Elain. Others nodded but stayed quite.

**Eventually he had learned to live with it, but he always had a nagging suspicion that he had not been good enough for his mother. **

Elain stopped reading and said "No mother would willingly give up her children, from the moment she feels her child growing in her she loves them." With Birgit nodding in agreement

_I'm sure there was a good reason for_ _what she did; I only wish I knew what it was. _

**One other thing bothered him: Who was his father? Selena had told no one, and whoever it might be had never come looking for Eragon. He wished that he knew who it was, if only to have a name. It would be nice to know his heritage. **

**He sighed and went to the nightstand, where he splashed his face, shivering as the water ran down his neck. Refreshed, he retrieved the stone from under the bed and set it on a shelf. The morning light caressed it, throwing a warm shadow on the wall. He touched it one more time, then hurried to the kitchen, eager to see his family. Garrow and Roran were already there, eating chicken. As Eragon greeted them, Roran stood with a grin. Roran was two years older than Eragon, muscular, sturdy, and careful with his movements. They could not have been closer even if they had been real brothers. Roran smiled. "I'm glad you're back. How was the trip?" **

"**Hard," replied Eragon. "Did Uncle tell you what happened?" He helped himself to a piece of chicken, which he devoured hungrily. **

"**No," said Roran, and the story was quickly told. At Roran's insistence, Eragon left his food to show him the stone. This elicited a satisfactory amount of awe,**

Roran felt disgusted at his awe of the stone that got his father killed. He no longer blamed Eragon totally for his fathers' death, that stone was the real reason and he hated it.

**but Roran soon asked nervously, "Were you able to talk with Katrina?" **

"**No, there wasn't an opportunity after the argument with Sloan. But she'll expect you when the traders come. I gave the message to Horst; he will get it to her." **

"**You told Horst?" said Roran incredulously. **

The men save for Sloan and Quimby laughed heartily at the blush on Roran's and Katrina's faces.

"**That was private. If I wanted everyone to know about it, I could have built a bonfire and used smoke signals to communicate. If Sloan finds out, he won't let me see her again."**

"Damn right I won't." Sloan said

"Father that is enough." Katrina would let no one come between her and Roran. Not even her father.

"**Horst will be discreet," assured Eragon. "He won't let anyone fall prey to Sloan, least of all you." Roran seemed unconvinced, but argued no more. They returned to their meals in the taciturn presence of Garrow. When the last bites were finished, all three went to work in the fields. **

**The sun was cold and pale, providing little comfort. Under its watchful eye, the last of the barley was stored in the barn. Next, they gathered prickly vined squash, then the rutabagas, beets, peas, turnips, and beans, which they packed into the root cellar. After hours of labor, they stretched their cramped muscles, pleased that the harvest was finished. **

**The following days were spent pickling, salting, shelling, and preparing the food for winter. **

**Nine days after Eragon's return, a vicious blizzard blew out of the mountains and settled over the valley. The snow came down in great sheets, blanketing the countryside in white. They only dared leave the house for firewood and to feed the animals, for they feared getting lost in the howling wind and featureless landscape. They spent their time huddled over the stove as gusts rattled the heavy window shutters. Days later the storm finally passed, revealing an alien world of soft white drifts. **

"That was a hard storm indeed I didn't work for three days and I know others were affected just as hard." Said Loring

"**I'm afraid the traders may not come this year, with conditions this bad," said Garrow. **

"That is something we were all worried about, it would have made life here far more difficult." Morn stated.

"**They're late as it is. We'll give them a chance and wait before going to Carvahall. But if they don't show soon, we'll have to buy any spare supplies from the townspeople." His countenance was resigned. **

**They grew anxious as the days crept by without sign of the traders. Talk was sparse, and depression hung over the house. **

**On the eighth morning, Roran walked to the road and confirmed that the traders had not yet passed. The day was spent readying for the trip into Carvahall, scrounging with grim expressions for saleable items. That evening, out of desperation, Eragon checked the road again. He found deep ruts cut into the snow, with numerous hoofprints between them. Elated, he ran back to the house whooping, bringing new life to their preparations. They packed their surplus produce into the wagon before sunrise. Garrow put the year's money in a leather pouch that he carefully fastened to his belt. Eragon set the wrapped stone between bags of grain so it would not roll when the wagon hit bumps. After a hasty breakfast, they harnessed the horses and cleared a path to the road. The traders' wagons had already broken the drifts, which sped their progress. By noon they could see Carvahall. **

**In daylight, it was a small earthy village filled with shouts and laughter. The traders had made camp in an empty field on the outskirts of town. Groups of wagons, tents, and fires were randomly spread across it, spots of color against the snow. The troubadours' four tents were garishly decorated. A steady stream of people linked the camp to the village. Crowds churned around a line of bright tents and booths clogging the main street. Horses whinnied at the noise. The snow had been pounded flat, giving it a glassy surface; elsewhere, bonfires had melted it. Roasted hazelnuts added a rich aroma to the smells wafting around them. **

"It's always fun when the traders are in town, it's my favorite time of the year." Said Baldor with a cheery smile.

Horst laughed and said "It is most peoples favorite time of the year until you have someone else to help spend your money."

Elain slapped him on the arm but she had a kind smile on her face as she looked upon her loving husband.

Everyone laughed at that even Slone until Elain started reading again.

**Garrow parked the wagon and picketed the horses, then drew coins from his pouch. "Get yourselves some treats. Roran, do what you want, only be at Horst's in time for supper. Eragon, bring that stone and come with me."**

"Now we will get to see what the traders think about the stone. I have to admit I am interested to see how this goes." Said Horst. He wondered what made that stone important enough to kill for, but he dare not say that out loud with Roran in the room.

"I've never heard the full account either." Replied Roran

**Eragon grinned at Roran and pocketed the money, already planning how to spend it. **

**Roran departed immediately with a determined expression on his face.**

"I wonder what he is so determined to do?" Asked Baldor with a smile. "Do you know Albriech?"

"No I can't say I do Baldor. What about you Katrina, do you know why Roran was so determined that day?"

Both Roran and Katrina were red in the face along with Slone but for very different reasons.

"Shut up!" Muttered Roran looking down while most of the table had a good laugh.

**Garrow led Eragon into the throng, shouldering his way through the bustle. Women were buying cloth, while nearby their husbands examined a new latch, hook, or tool. Children ran up and down the road, shrieking with excitement. Knives were displayed here, spices there, and pots were laid out in shiny rows next to leather harnesses. **

**Eragon stared at the traders curiously. They seemed less prosperous than last year. Their children had a frightened, wary look, and their clothes were patched. The gaunt men carried swords and daggers with a new familiarity, and even the women had poniards belted at their waists. **

_**What could have happened to make them like this? And why are they so late? **_**Wondered Eragon. He remembered the traders as being full of good cheer, but there was none of that now. Garrow pushed down the street, searching for Merlock, a trader who specialized in odd trinkets and pieces of jewelry. **

**They found him behind a booth, displaying brooches to a group of women. As each new piece was revealed, exclamations of admiration followed. Eragon guessed that more than a few purses would soon be depleted. **

At that Horst gave a deep laugh and a playful look at his wife.

**Merlock seemed to flourish and grow every time his wares were complimented. He wore a goatee, held himself with ease, and seemed to regard the rest of the world with slight contempt. **

**The excited group prevented Garrow and Eragon from getting near the trader, so they settled on a step and waited. As soon as Merlock was unoccupied, they hurried over. **

"**And what might you sirs want to look at?" asked Merlock. "An amulet or trinket for a lady?" With a twirl he pulled out a delicately carved silver rose of excellent workmanship. The polished metal caught Eragon's attention, and he eyed it appreciatively. The trader continued, "Not even three crowns, though it has come all the way from the famed craftsmen of Belatona." **

**Garrow spoke in a quiet voice. "We aren't looking to buy, but to sell." Merlock immediately covered the rose and looked at them with new interest. **

"**I see. Maybe, if this item is of any value, you would like to trade it for one or two of these exquisite pieces." He paused for a moment while Eragon and his uncle stood uncomfortably, then continued, "You did **_**bring **_**the object of consideration?" **

"**We have it, but we would rather show it to you elsewhere," said Garrow in a firm voice. Merlock raised an eyebrow, but spoke smoothly. "In that case, let me invite you to my tent." He gathered up his wares and gently laid them in an iron-bound chest, which he locked. Then he ushered them up the street and into the temporary camp. They wound between the wagons to a tent removed from the rest of the traders'. It was crimson at the top and sable at the bottom, with thin triangles of colors stabbing into each other. Merlock untied the opening and swung the flap to one side. **

**Small trinkets and strange pieces of furniture, such as a round bed and three seats carved from tree stumps, filled the tent. A gnarled dagger with a ruby in the pommel rested on a white cushion. **

**Merlock closed the flap and turned to them. "Please, seat yourselves." When they had, he said, "Now show me why we are meeting in private." Eragon unwrapped the stone and set it between the two men. Merlock reached for it with a gleam in his eye, then stopped and asked, "May I?" When Garrow indicated his approval, Merlock picked it up. He put the stone in his lap and reached to one side for a thin box. Opened, it revealed a large set of copper scales, which he set on the ground. After weighing the stone, he scrutinized its surface under a jeweler's glass, tapped it gently with a wooden mallet, and drew the point of a tiny clear stone over it. He measured its length and diameter, then recorded the figures on a slate. He considered the results for a while. "Do you know what this is worth?" **

"Not a smart one is he? If they knew what it was worth they most likely would have just dealt with him at his stand." Baldor said with a slight chuckle

"**No," admitted Garrow. His cheek twitched, and he shifted uncomfortably on the seat. Merlock grimaced. "Unfortunately, neither do I. But I can tell you this much: the white veins are the same material as the blue that surrounds them, only a different color. What that material might be, though, I haven't a clue. It's harder than any rock I have seen, harder even than diamond. Whoever shaped it used tools I have never seen—or magic. Also, it's hollow." **

"Hollow? How can it be hollow but solid as a rock at the same time, and also harder than diamond?" Questioned Albriech looking to his father.

"I cannot say, I have never heard of anything like it. What about you Loring, Sloan, have you ever heard of such a thing?"

"No." Answered Loring "But like the guy said it could have been made by magical means. Which comes as no real surprise for us since we have been reading about its history in this book."

"**What?" exclaimed Garrow. **

**An irritated edge crept into Merlock's voice. "Did you ever hear a rock sound like this?" **

**He grabbed the dagger from the cushion and slapped the stone with the flat of the blade. A pure note filled the air, then faded away smoothly. Eragon was alarmed, afraid that the stone had been damaged.**

_Open your ears cousin didn't you just hear him say that it was harder than diamond _thought Roran with a snort. When Horst looked over at him with a raised eye brow questioningly Roran just shook his head and listened as Elain continued to read.

**Merlock tilted the stone toward them. "You will find no scratches or blemishes where the dagger struck. I doubt I could do anything to harm this stone, even if I took a hammer to it." **

**Garrow crossed his arms with a reserved expression. A wall of silence surrounded him. Eragon was puzzled. **_**I knew that the stone appeared in the Spine through magic, but made**__**by magic? What for and why? **_**He blurted, "But what is it worth?" **

"**I can't tell you that," said Merlock in a pained voice. "I am sure there are people who would pay dearly to have it, but none of them are in Carvahall. You would have to go to the southern cities to find a buyer. This is a curiosity for most people—not an item to spend money on when practical things are needed." **

**Garrow stared at the tent ceiling like a gambler calculating the odds. "Will you buy it?" **

**The trader answered instantly, "It's not worth the risk. I might be able to find a wealthy buyer during my spring travels, but I can't be certain. Even if I did, you wouldn't be paid until I returned next year. No, you will have to find someone else to trade with. I am curious, however . . . Why did you insist on talking to me in private?" **

**Eragon put the stone away before answering. "Because," he glanced at the man, wondering if he would explode like Sloan, "I found this in the Spine, and folks around here don't like that." **

**Merlock gave him a startled look. "Do you know why my fellow merchants and I were late this year?" **

**Eragon shook his head. **

"**Our wanderings have been dogged with misfortune. Chaos seems to rule Alagaësia. We could not avoid illness, attacks, and the most cursed black luck. Because the Varden's attacks have increased, Galbatorix has forced cities to send more soldiers to the borders, men who are needed to combat the Urgals. The brutes have been migrating southeast, toward the Hadarac Desert. No one knows why and it wouldn't concern us, except that they're passing through populated areas. They've been spotted on roads and near cities.**

"At least they have not come to Carvahall, we would be wiped out with no soldiers nearby to help us." Said Loring

Others thought much the something and nodded their heads in agreement.

While Sloan and Roran just sat there thinking similar thoughts , though they did not know it_. They wouldn't get to Katrina even if I had to fight a hundred Urgals. _

**Worst of all are reports of a Shade, though the stories are unconfirmed. Not many people survive such an encounter." **

"**Why haven't we heard of this?" cried Eragon. **

"**Because," said Merlock grimly, "it only began a few months ago. Whole villages have been forced to move because Urgals destroyed their fields and starvation threatens." **

"**Nonsense," growled Garrow. "We haven't seen any Urgals; the only one around here has his horns mounted in Morn's tavern." **

**Merlock arched an eyebrow. "Maybe so, but this is a small village hidden by mountains. It's not surprising that you've escaped notice. However, I wouldn't expect that to last. I only mentioned this because strange things are happening here as well if you found such a stone in the Spine." With that sobering statement, he bid them farewell with a bow and slight smile. **

**Garrow headed back to Carvahall with Eragon trailing behind. "What do you think?" **

**Asked Eragon. **

"**I'm going to get more information before I make up my mind. Take the stone back to the wagon, then do what you want. I'll meet you for dinner at Horst's." **

"That was something I always admired about Garrow." Said Morn "He never jumped to conclusions when it came to serious matters or people. He was a good man."

"That he was." Said Horst

**Eragon dodged through the crowd and happily dashed back to the wagon. Trading would take his uncle hours, time that he planned to enjoy fully. He hid the stone under the bags, then set out into town with a cocky stride. **

**He walked from one booth to another, evaluating the goods with a buyer's eye, despite his meager supply of coins. When he talked with the merchants, they confirmed what Merlock had said about the instability in Alagaësia. Over and over the message was repeated: last year's security has deserted us; new dangers have appeared, and nothing is safe. **

**Later in the day he bought three sticks of malt candy and a small piping-hot cherry pie. The hot food felt good after hours of standing in the snow. He licked the sticky syrup from his fingers regretfully, wishing for more, then sat on the edge of a porch and nibbled a piece of candy. Two boys from Carvahall wrestled nearby, but he felt no inclination to join them. **

**As the day descended into late afternoon, the traders took their business into people's homes. Eragon was impatient for evening, when the troubadours would come out to tell stories and perform tricks. He loved hearing about magic, gods, and, if they were especially lucky, the Dragon Riders. Carvahall had its own storyteller, Brom—a friend of Eragon's—but his tales grew old over the years, whereas the troubadours always had new ones that he listened to eagerly. **

At the mention of the old storytellers name Roran frowned. "What I would like to learn from this book other than how and why my father was killed is why Brom would leave with Eragon."

"Or why Eragon would leave with Brom? Remember all we know is that they left, not why." Said Albriech

"I would also like to know how Eragon was able to get Garrow all the way here from the farm, and what caused those strange tracks." Stated Horst

"Well you would find out if you would let me read dear?" Said Elain and before anything else was said she started reading again.

**Eragon had just broken off an icicle from the underside of the porch when he spotted Sloan nearby. The butcher had not seen him, so Eragon ducked his head and bolted around a corner toward Morn's tavern. **

"Good I did not want to see that snot nosed kid anyway." Mumbled Slone

"What was that Slone?" Questioned Horst

"Oh nothing, nothing at all just keep reading don't mind me."

**The inside was hot and filled with greasy smoke from sputtering tallow candles. The shiny-black Urgal horns, their twisted span as great as his outstretched arms, were mounted over the door. The bar was long and low, with a stack of staves on one end for customers to carve. Morn tended the bar, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The bottom half of his face was short and mashed, as if he had rested his chin on a grinding wheel. People crowded solid oak tables and listened to two traders who had finished their business early and had come in for beer. **

"They were nothing but cheap trouble makers, lucky that they did not end up next to that urgal on the wall." Said Morn bitterly

**Morn looked up from a mug he was cleaning. "Eragon! Good to see you. Where's your uncle?" **

"**Buying," said Eragon with a shrug. "He's going to be a while." **

"**And Roran, is he here?" asked Morn as he swiped the cloth through another mug. **

"**Yes, no sick animals to keep him back this year." **

"**Good, good." **

_Very good._ Katrina thought. She didn't know what she would have done if she would have had to wait longer to see him.

**Eragon gestured at the two traders. "Who are they?" **

"**Grain buyers. They bought everyone's seed at ridiculously low prices, and now they're telling wild stories, expecting us to believe them." **

**Eragon understood why Morn was so upset. **_**People need that money. We can't get by**__**without it. **_**"What kind of stories?" **

**Morn snorted. "They say the Varden have formed a pact with the Urgals and are massing an army to attack us. **_**Supposedly, **_**it's only through the grace of our king that we've been protected for so long—as if Galbatorix would care if we burned to the ground. . . . Go listen to them. I have enough on my hands without explaining their lies." **

**The first trader filled a chair with his enormous girth; his every movement caused it to protest loudly. There was no hint of hair on his face, his pudgy hands were baby smooth, and he had pouting lips that curled petulantly as he sipped from a flagon. The second man had a florid face. The skin around his jaw was dry and corpulent, filled with lumps of hard fat, like cold butter gone rancid. Contrasted with his neck and jowls, the rest of his body was unnaturally thin. **

Katrina, Birgit, and Elain all had disgusting looks on their faces just imagining the men.

**The first trader vainly tried to pull back his expanding borders to fit within the chair. He said, "No, no, you don't understand. It is only through the king's unceasing efforts on your behalf that you are able to argue with us in safety. If he, in all his wisdom, were to withdraw that support, woe unto you!" **

"I'd like to see him spend a year or two here and see what he thinks then. The only thing Galbatorix is good for is taking our hard earned coin while we suffer." Said Quimby

"As fat as that guy is he would not make it a single month on a farm." Laughed Roran picturing the man behind a plow.

"Your right the only thing a man like that is good for is causing trouble, he is even worse than Sloan." Said Horst

"Why thank you Horst for those kind words." Stated Sloan sarcastically

**Someone hollered, "Right, why don't you also tell us the Riders have returned and you've each killed a hundred elves.**

"Well from what we read about in the first chapter no man would stand a chance against an elf except the king that is." Said Baldor

"You never know, she could have just gotten lucky. I find it hard to believe that any creature is strong enough to kill three urgals on their own. It's just not right." Said Roran

**Do you think we're children to believe in your tales? **

**We can take care of ourselves." The group chuckled. **

**The trader started to reply when his thin companion intervened with a wave of his hand. Gaudy jewels flashed on his fingers. "You misunderstand. We know the Empire cannot care for each of us personally, as you may want, but it can keep Urgals and other abominations from overrunning this," he searched vaguely for the right term, "place." **

"I Can't believe that he just insulted our town when he is surrounded by people who are getting mad at him. Wha, an, idiot." Chuckled Albriech.

**The trader continued, "You're angry with the Empire for treating people unfairly, a legitimate concern, but a government cannot please everyone. There will inevitably be arguments and conflicts. However, the majority of us have nothing to complain about. Every country has some small group of malcontents who aren't satisfied with the balance of power." **

"**Yeah," called a woman, "if you're willing to call the Varden small!" **

**The fat man sighed. "We already explained that the Varden have no interest in helping you. That's only a falsehood perpetuated by the traitors in an attempt to disrupt the Empire and convince us that the real threat is inside—not outside—our borders. All they want to do is overthrow the king and take possession of our land. They have spies everywhere as they prepare to invade. You never know who might be working for them." **

"Well no one in Carvahall is a varden spy." Said Loring "What would the varden need a spy in Carvahall anyway. The idiot."

**Eragon did not agree, but the traders' words were smooth, and people were nodding. He stepped forward and said, "How do you know this? I can say that clouds are green, but that doesn't mean it's true. Prove you aren't lying." The two men glared at him while the villagers waited silently for the answer. **

"Apparently they don't like their king worshiping questioned." Roran said

"Could they be working for the Empire, you know to… make them look good or to convince people that the Empire is there to help them?" Questioned Gertrude

"I have never thought about it like that, but now that you have said it I do seem to recall one or two of the traders every year going on about how good the Empire is." Answered Horst

"That seems like something the Empire would do." Agreed Loring

**The thin trader spoke first. He avoided Eragon's eyes. "Aren't your children taught respect? Or do you let boys challenge men whenever they want to?" **

**The listeners fidgeted and stared at Eragon. Then a man said, "Answer the question." **

"**It's only common sense," said the fat one, sweat beading on his upper lip. His reply riled the villagers, and the dispute resumed. **

**Eragon returned to the bar with a sour taste in his mouth. He had never before met anyone who favored the Empire and tore down its enemies. There was a deep-seated hatred of the Empire in Carvahall, almost hereditary in nature.**

The entire room laughed even Sloan joined in because it was true it was hereditary.

**The Empire never helped them during harsh years when they nearly starved, and its tax collectors were heartless. He felt justified in disagreeing with the traders regarding the king's mercy, but he did speculate about the Varden. **

**The Varden were a rebel group that constantly raided and attacked the Empire. It was a mystery who their leader was or who had formed them in the years following Galbatorix's rise to power over a century ago. The group had garnered much sympathy as they eluded Galbatorix's efforts to destroy them. Little was known about the Varden except that if you were a fugitive and had to hide, or if you hated the Empire, they would accept you. The only problem was finding them. **

**Morn leaned over the bar and said, "Incredible, isn't it? They're worse than vultures circling a dying animal. There's going to be trouble if they stay much longer." **

"**For us or for them?" **

"Them obviously" Said Baldor with a chucklewhile cracking his knuckles**. (A/N Yes I finally got that right! I am dyslexic and every time I type chuckle I always get the L and the E in the wrong place, but not this time. Lol. It's the small victories in life that count.) **

"**Them," said Morn as angry voices filled the tavern. Eragon left when the argument threatened to become violent. The door thudded shut behind him, cutting off the voices. It was early evening, and the sun was sinking rapidly; the houses cast long shadows on the ground. As Eragon headed down the street, he noticed Roran and Katrina standing in an alley. **

Sloan gave Roran a dirty look. Bad blood aside, there was still no way that he could let Roran be with his daughter because he had no work and no home and that was that in his mind.

**Roran said something Eragon could not hear.**

**Katrina looked down at her hands and answered in an undertone, then leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him before darting away.**

"Why you no good-" Sloan started but Horst cut him off

"Sloan I said yall could talk about this at a later time not now."

"Anyway I kissed him, not the other way around." Katrina said sticking up for Roran.

**Eragon trotted to Roran and teased, "Having a good time?" Roran grunted noncommittally as he paced away. **

"**Have you heard the traders' news?" asked Eragon, following. Most of the villagers were indoors, talking to traders or waiting until it was dark enough for the troubadours to perform. **

"**Yes." Roran seemed distracted. "What do you think of Sloan?" **

"**I thought it was obvious." **

"**There'll be blood between us when he finds out about Katrina and me,"**

_Damn right there will be. _Thought Sloan not willing to voice his opinion.

**stated Roran. A snowflake landed on Eragon's nose, and he looked up. The sky had turned gray. He could think of nothing appropriate to say; Roran was right. He clasped his cousin on the shoulder as they continued down the byway. **

**Dinner at Horst's was hearty. The room was full of conversation and laughter. Sweet cordials and heavy ales were consumed in copious amounts, adding to the boisterous atmosphere. When the plates were empty, Horst's guests left the house and strolled to the field where the traders were camped. A ring of poles topped with candles had been stuck into the ground around a large clearing. Bonfires blazed in the background, painting the ground with dancing shadows. The villagers slowly gathered around the circle and waited expectantly in the cold. **

**The troubadours came tumbling out of their tents, dressed in tasseled clothing, followed by older and more stately minstrels. The minstrels provided music and narration as their younger counterparts acted out the stories.**

Katrina slipped Roran a warm smile remembering how they were able to sit together and hold hands during the show since her father did not attend.

**The first plays were pure entertainment: bawdy and full of jokes, pratfalls, and ridiculous characters. Later, however, when the candles sputtered in their sockets and everyone was drawn together into a tight circle, the old storyteller Brom stepped forward. A knotted white beard rippled over his chest, and a long black cape was wrapped around his bent shoulders, obscuring his body. He spread his arms with hands that reached out like talons and recited thus:**

"I would like everyone to refrain from talking until this part is done." Said Elain pausing in her reading

"**The sands of time cannot be stopped. Years pass whether we will them or not . . . but we can remember. What has been lost may yet live on in memories. That which you will hear is imperfect and fragmented, yet treasure it, for without you it does not exist. I give you now a memory that has been forgotten, hidden in the dreamy haze that lies behind us." **

**His keen eyes inspected their interested faces. His gaze lingered on Eragon last of all. **

"**Before your grandfathers' fathers were born, and yea, even before their fathers, the Dragon Riders were formed. To protect and guard was their mission, and for thousands of years they succeeded. Their prowess in battle was unmatched, for each had the strength of ten men. They were immortal unless blade or poison took them. For good only were their powers used, and under their tutelage tall cities and towers were built out of the living stone. While they kept peace, the land flourished. It was a golden time. The elves were our allies, the dwarves our friends. Wealth flowed into our cities, and men prospered. But weep . . . for it could not last." **

**Brom looked down silently. Infinite sadness resonated in his voice. **

"**Though no enemy could destroy them, they could not guard against themselves. And it came to pass at the height of their power that a boy, Galbatorix by name, was born in the province of Inzilbêth, which is no more. At ten he was tested, as was the custom, and it was found that great power resided in him. The Riders accepted him as their own. **

"**Through their training he passed, exceeding all others in skill. Gifted with a sharp mind and strong body, he quickly took his place among the Riders' ranks. Some saw his abrupt rise as dangerous and warned the others, but the Riders had grown arrogant in their power and ignored caution. Alas, sorrow was conceived that day. **

"**So it was that soon after his training was finished, Galbatorix took a reckless trip with two friends. Far north they flew, night and day, and passed into the Urgals' remaining territory, foolishly thinking their new powers would protect them. There on a thick sheet of ice, unmelted even in summer, they were ambushed in their sleep. Though his friends and their dragons were butchered and he suffered great wounds, Galbatorix slew his attackers. Tragically, during the fight a stray arrow pierced his dragon's heart. Without the arts to save her, she died in his arms. Then were the seeds of madness planted." **

**The storyteller clasped his hands and looked around slowly, shadows flickering across his worn face. The next words came like the mournful toll of a requiem. **

"**Alone, bereft of much of his strength and half mad with loss, Galbatorix wandered without hope in that desolate land, seeking death. It did not come to him, though he threw himself without fear against any living thing. Urgals and other monsters soon fled from his haunted form. During this time he came to realize that the Riders might grant him another dragon. Driven by this thought, he began the arduous journey, on foot, back through the Spine. Territory he had soared over effortlessly on a dragon's back now took him months to traverse. He could hunt with magic, but oftentimes he walked in places where animals did not travel. Thus when his feet finally left the mountains, he was close to death. A farmer found him collapsed in the mud and summoned the Riders. **

"**Unconscious, he was taken to their holdings, and his body healed. He slept for four days. Upon awakening he gave no sign of his fevered mind. When he was brought before a council convened to judge him, Galbatorix demanded another dragon. The desperation of the request revealed his dementia, and the council saw him for what he truly was. Denied his hope, Galbatorix, through the twisted mirror of his madness, came to believe it was the Riders' fault his dragon had died. Night after night he brooded on that and formulated a plan to exact revenge." **

**Brom's words dropped to a mesmerizing whisper. **

"**He found a sympathetic Rider, and there his insidious words took root. By persistent reasoning and the use of dark secrets learned from a Shade, he inflamed the Rider against their elders. Together they treacherously lured and killed an elder. When the foul deed was done, Galbatorix turned on his ally and slaughtered him without warning. The Riders found him, then, with blood dripping from his hands. A scream tore from his lips, and he fled into the night. As he was cunning in his madness, they could not find him. **

"**For years he hid in wastelands like a hunted animal, always watching for pursuers. His atrocity was not forgotten, but over time searches ceased. Then through some ill fortune he met a young Rider, Morzan—strong of body, but weak of mind. Galbatorix convinced Morzan to leave a gate unbolted in the citadel Ilirea, which is now called Urû'baen. Through this gate Galbatorix entered and stole a dragon hatchling. **

"**He and his new disciple hid themselves in an evil place where the Riders dared not venture. There Morzan entered into a dark apprenticeship, learning secrets and forbidden magic that should never have been revealed. When his instruction was finished and Galbatorix's black dragon, Shruikan, was fully grown, Galbatorix revealed himself to the world, with Morzan at his side. Together they fought any Rider they met. With each kill their strength grew. Twelve of the Riders joined Galbatorix out of desire for power and revenge against perceived wrongs. Those twelve, with Morzan, became the Thirteen Forsworn. The Riders were unprepared and fell beneath the onslaught. The elves, too, fought bitterly against Galbatorix, but they were overthrown and forced to flee to their secret places, from whence they come no more. **

"**Only Vrael, leader of the Riders, could resist Galbatorix and the Forsworn. Ancient and wise, he struggled to save what he could and keep the remaining dragons from falling to his enemies. In the last battle, before the gates of Dorú Areaba, Vrael defeated Galbatorix, but hesitated with the final blow. Galbatorix seized the moment and smote him in the side. Grievously wounded, Vrael fled to Utgard Mountain, where he hoped to gather strength. But it was not to be, for Galbatorix found him. As they fought, Galbatorix kicked Vrael in the fork of his legs. With that underhanded blow, he gained dominance over Vrael and removed his head with a blazing sword. **

"**Then as power rushed through his veins, Galbatorix anointed himself king over all Alagaësia. **

"**And from that day, he has ruled us." **

**With the completion of the story, Brom shuffled away with the troubadours. Eragon thought he saw a tear shining on his cheek. People murmured quietly to each other as they departed. Garrow said to Eragon and Roran, "Consider yourselves fortunate. I have heard this tale only twice in my life. If the Empire knew that Brom had recited it, he would not live to see a new month." **

"That is all for this chapter." Said Elain in a sad voice.

"Here I will read next." Said Birgit taking the book from Elain.

**I have one more chapter done but wont but it up for a few days so i can stay ahead and get some other chapters done.**

**I was told my last summery sucked so i changed it. How do you like the new one? **


	5. Fate's gift

**Here it goes chapter 5. FYI I have 3 classes starting June 3rd so my postings might slow down a bit but I will continue. Also I am getting some good feedback and a good number of people are reading this so it makes me want to finish this that much more.**

"**FATE'S GIFT" **Started Birgit

**The evening after their return from Carvahall, Eragon decided to test the stone as Merlock had. Alone in his room, he set it on his bed and laid three tools next to it. He started with a wooden mallet and lightly tapped the stone. It produced a subtle ringing. Satisfied, he picked up the next tool, a heavy leather hammer. A mournful peal reverberated when it **struck**. **

"Could it be a musical instrument of some kind then?" Gertrude asked

"If it is then it's the strangest instrument I have ever heard of" Replied Loring

**Lastly, he pounded a small chisel against it. The metal did not chip or scratch the stone, but it produced the clearest sound yet. As the final note died away, he thought he heard a faint squeak. **

_**Merlock said the stone was hollow; there could be something of value inside.**_

"So the strangers were after whatever was inside the stone then?" Roran asked bitterly

"I think it has been proved that it is not a stone, so it is possible that is some kind of unbreakable magical container." Reasoned Horst

"I don't care what it is!" Exclaimed Roran "It and whatever is inside it got my father killed"

Elain leaned over and placed her hand on Roran's shoulder comfortingly, missing Katrina's frown at not being able to comfort Roran herself.

_**I don't**__**know how to open it, though. There must have been a good reason for someone to shape**__**it, but whoever sent the stone into the Spine hasn't taken the trouble to retrieve it or**__**doesn't know where it is. But I don't believe that a magician with enough power to**__**transport the stone wouldn't be able to find it again.**_

"Well we know the answer to that question." Muttered Baldor

Loring along with others nodded their head.

_**So was I meant to have it? **_**He could not answer the question. Resigned to an unsolvable mystery, he picked up the tools and returned the stone to its shelf. **

**That night he was abruptly roused from sleep. He listened carefully. All was quiet. Uneasy, he slid his hand under the mattress and grasped his knife. He waited a few minutes, then slowly sank back to sleep. **

**A squeak pierced the silence, tearing him back to wakefulness. He rolled out of bed and yanked the knife from its sheath. Fumbling with a tinderbox, he lit a candle.**

"I remember that night, that squeak woke me up a few times through the night." Said Roran

He was looking forward to finding out what was making that sound. He had no idea what it was at the time though it sounded like it was coming from Eragon's room, maybe it had something to do with the stone.

**The door to his room was closed. Though the squeak was too loud for a mouse or rat, he still checked under the bed. Nothing. He sat on the edge of the mattress and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Another squeak filled the air, and he started violently. **

**Where was the noise was coming from? Nothing could be in the floor or walls; they were solid wood. The same went for his bed, and he would have noticed if anything had crawled into his straw mattress during the night. His eyes settled on the stone. He took it off the shelf and absently cradled it as he studied the room. A squeak rang in his ears and reverberated through his fingers; it came from the stone. **

The room was deadly quiet with no one but Birgit making a sound, anxious to find out what was happening with the stone.

**The stone had given him nothing but frustration and anger, and now it would not even let him sleep! It ignored his furious glare and sat solidly, occasionally peeping. Then it gave one very loud squeak and fell silent. Eragon warily put it away and got back under the sheets. Whatever secret the stone held, it would have to wait until morning. The moon was shining through his window when he woke again. The stone was rocking rapidly on the shelf, knocking against the wall.**

"I can't take it anymore, what is in that accursed stone. What was worth killing my father for!" Demanded Roran turning red with anger.

No one bothered answering and Birgit continued reading.

**It was bathed in cool moonlight that bleached its surface. Eragon jumped out of bed, knife in hand. The motion stopped, but he remained tense. Then the stone started squeaking and rocking faster than ever. **

"You know, the way that stone is acting makes me think of a chicken egg when it's hatching. With the chick chirping and the egg wobbling from side to side." Remarked Quimby

"What are you suggesting? That it is some kind of egg?" Asked Slone. "Be reasonable. What kind of creature do you know of that lays eggs like that? None that's what."

"Does everyone remember those strange tracks that we found around the farm?" Asked Horst and everyone nodded, even if they had not seen them personally they had heard about them.

"Those tracks were from a creature we have never seen nor heard of." Continued Horst "Just like this could be an egg from a creature we have never seen nor heard of so what are the chances."

"That whatever that thing is in this egg if indeed it is an egg is the same creature that made the tracks?" Said Roran

"Exactly!" Replied Horst

"Well you could keep guessing or you could let Birgit continue reading and we can find out for sure." Said Slone

**With an oath, he began dressing. He did not care how valuable the stone might be; he was going to take it far away and bury it. The rocking stopped; the stone became quiet. It quivered, then rolled forward and dropped onto the floor with a loud thump.**

"Why didn't you go in there and see what all that noise was about Roran , you had to have heard that?" Asked Loring

"Believe me I wish I would have." Said Roran

**He inched toward the door in alarm as the stone wobbled toward him. **

**Suddenly a crack appeared on the stone. Then another and another. Transfixed, Eragon leaned forward, still holding the knife. At the top of the stone, where all the cracks met, a small piece wobbled, as if it were balanced on something, then rose and toppled to the floor. After another series of squeaks, a small dark head poked out of the hole, followed by a weirdly angled body.**

"So it is an egg after all I must say I am curious to see what this creature is." Katrina said

"So am I." Said Gertrude "What kind of creature is worth tracking down and killing for?"

"A valuable one." Said Slone simply

**Eragon gripped the knife tighter and held very still. Soon the creature was all the way out of the stone. It stayed in place for a moment, then skittered into the moonlight. **

**Eragon recoiled in shock. Standing in front of him, licking off the membrane that encased it, was a **

Birgit stopped reading and a shocked look came over her face.

"What is it Birgit? What's wrong?" Asked Elain

Birgit did not say anything, she just simply took a deep breath and then read the final word.

**dragon.**

**HAHA I have decided to put their reactions on the next chapter and make yall wait.**

**I hate cliff hangers with a passion so I figured why ****SUFFER**** alone?**

**ON a side note I am rewatching Dragon Ball Z and it is still as good as when I first watched it. The second best thing to come out of the 80s the first being me of course.**


	6. AWAKENING

**How many people actually **_**READ**_** the Authors note? I really want to know, if you review plz tell me if you read it. I know it's been a while but I'm still here working on it when I'm not studying 8 hours a day for my classes. At first I was not going to add any more people to this story but I have changed my mind and will be adding Eragon from the future later but I don't know when. I don't own Eragon or anything.**

* * *

All at once everyone started talking and raising their voices, fighting to be heard. It took Horst slamming his fist on the table three times to quiet the room down.

"A dragon, I can't believe it, that stone... I mean egg was actually a dragon egg? And here in Palancar valley of all places." Quimby said in a quieter voice

"But Eragon has never seen a dragon, none of us have, so how does he know it's a dragon?" Asked Katrina in a shocked voice

Loring grunted in amusement and replied "Well we have never seen an elf either but that doesn't mean we wouldn't recognize one if we saw one."

It was quiet for a moment until Albriech looked over at a red faced Roran and asked. "Are you alright Roran?"

"My father was killed because the strangers wanted a stupid dragon egg! I can't believe this!" Roared Roran standing abruptly and beginning to pace

"My home destroyed, my family torn apart, and for what? A STUPID ANIMAL!" Yelled Roran

Katrina not caring that her father was there or that the others were watching got up and ran to Roran wrapping her arms around him hoping to comfort him.

Slone got up and opened his mouth, but before he could do anything Horst glared at him and said.

"Don't even think about it Slone, this is something for the three of you to work out at a later time and place."

Meanwhile Katrina was hugging Roran tightly and whispering soothing words to him until he calmed down enough to sit down.

"Roran." Said Horst gently "I know this is hard, and if you would like to take a brake we would understand."

"No I'm fine. I have more questions and the only way I'm going to get answers is by reading this book, so let's get reading."

"I agree." Said Morn "I'll read next." He said picking up the book.

"**Awakening" **

**The dragon was no longer than his forearm, yet it was dignified and noble. Its scales were deep sapphire blue, the same color as the stone.**

"It sounds amazing." Whispered Elain

Roran glared at the book and thought that it was anything but amazing.

**But not a stone, he realized, an egg. The dragon fanned its wings; they were what had made it appear so contorted. The wings were several times longer than its body and ribbed with thin fingers of bone that extended from the wing's front edge, forming a line of widely spaced talons. The dragon's head was roughly triangular. Two diminutive white fangs curved down out of its upper jaw. They looked very sharp. Its claws were also white, like polished ivory, and slightly serrated on the inside curve. A line of small spikes ran down the creature's spine from the base of its head to the tip of its tail. A hollow where its neck and shoulders joined created a larger-than-normal gap between the spikes. **

"Amazing indeed." Said Morn

"More like dangerous if you ask me." Muttered Slone "That fool of a boy should have left that thing in the spine."

"You can't be too harsh on him Slone he didn't know that it was a dragon egg any more than we did." Elain said

"I would have brought it back too, if I had been the one to find it." Baldor spoke up with Albriech nodding his head.

Morn continued.

**Eragon shifted slightly, and the dragon's head snapped around. Hard, ice-blue eyes fixed on him. He kept very still. It might be a formidable enemy if it decided to attack.**

"Ha a formidable enemy, really? It just hatched." Snorted Baldor

"Were you not listening?" Asked Loring "Did you not hear the part about the sharp fangs and claws? I'll tell you one thing I wouldn't want to be in the same room with that thing."

**The dragon lost interest in Eragon and awkwardly explored the room, squealing as it bumped into a wall or furniture. With a flutter of wings, it leapt onto the bed and crawled to his pillow, squeaking. Its mouth was open pitifully, like a young bird's, displaying rows of pointed teeth.**

Loring looked at Baldor pointedly,

"All right already: I get it I was wrong." Said Baldor exasperated

**Eragon sat cautiously on the end of the bed. The dragon smelled his hand, nibbled his sleeve. He pulled his arm back. **

**A smile tugged at Eragon's lips as he looked at the small creature. Tentatively, he reached out with his right hand and touched its flank. A blast of icy energy surged into his hand and raced up his arm, burning in his veins like liquid fire. He fell back with a wild cry.**

"What just happened!" Exclaimed Roran fearing for his cousin.

"I don't know what just happened but what I find strange is that neither you nor Garrow woke to such a racket." Said Quimby

"I woke a few times as I said earlier but I did not think about it all that much." Replied Roran

**An iron clang filled his ears, and he heard a soundless scream of rage. Every part of his body seared with pain.**

Katrina shivered while others made gestures to ward off evil and curses, but no one spoke, there were no words for what was happening.

**He struggled to move, but was unable to. After what seemed like hours, warmth seeped back into his limbs, leaving them tingling. Shivering uncontrollably, he pushed himself upright.**

"At least it was not permanent." Whispered Elain finding her voice.

**(A/N: I was added to a community that is titled read and report or something like that, they are trying to have me deleted and if that should happen I will not repost this just so yall know. That is why I put this in the middle of the story so they most likely won't see it.)**

**His hand was numb, his fingers paralyzed. Alarmed, he watched as the middle of his palm shimmered and formed a diffused white oval.**

"So that is how he got that scar." Said Gertrude with wide eyes

"What are you talking about Gertrude?" Asked Birgit

"When I was taking care of Eragon he had that strange scar on his hand that the book just described."

**The skin itched and burned like a spider bite. His heart pounded frantically. Eragon blinked, trying to understand what had occurred.**

"You're not the only one." Horst said

**Something brushed against his consciousness, like a finger trailing over his skin. He felt it again, but this time it solidified into a tendril of thought through which he could feel a growing curiosity. It was as if an invisible wall surrounding his thoughts had fallen away, and he was now free to reach out with his mind. **

"This is not natural" Loring said "what did that dragon do to him."

"Nothing good." Replied Roran worried "the book makes it sound like his mind is slipping away, being free to reach out with his mind and all that. Is that even possible, could that be why he ran away? Did he lose his mind?

"I don't know Roran like Loring said it's not natural, I don't think he lost his mind, but all we can do is read and find out."

**He was afraid that without anything to hold him back, he would float out of his body and be unable to return, becoming a spirit of the ether.**

"Seems like you're not the only one afraid of that." Said Albriech

**Scared, he pulled away from the contact. The new sense vanished as if he had closed his eyes. He glared suspiciously at the motionless dragon. **

**A scaly leg scraped against his side, and he jerked back. But the energy did not shock him again. Puzzled, he rubbed the dragon's head with his right hand. A light tingling ran up his arm. The dragon nuzzled him, arching its back like a cat.**

"It doesn't sound all that bad apart from what happened earlier." Katrina said hesitantly

Slone shoot her a look that said she was the one that lost her mind, and he wasn't alone, most everyone was giving her a similar look.

Her face heated up a bit from embarrassment. "Don't look at me like that I like cats that's all." She defended herself.

**He slid a finger over its thin wing membranes. They felt like old parchment, velvety and warm, but still slightly damp. Hundreds of slender veins pulsed through them. **

**Again the tendril touched his mind, but this time, instead of curiosity, he sensed an overpowering, ravenous hunger.**

"Could that be coming from that dragon, the feelings I mean, if not then where is it coming from?" Asked Morn

"How can an animal do that or people for that matter, share its feelings or whatever. I don't believe a word of it. That boy has just gone and lost his mind and that's all there is to it'' Said Slone

"I'm not so sure Slone, we know nothing about dragons. Who are we to say what is true or not." Said Horst in that way of his, always open minded and willing to listen.

**He got up with a sigh. This was a dangerous animal, of that he was sure. Yet it seemed so helpless crawling on his bed, he could only wonder if there was any harm in keeping it.**

_Oh believe me cousin, there was harm. I might have forgiven you for the most part but you still have a lot to answer for. _Roran thought darkly

**The dragon wailed in a reedy tone as it looked for food. Eragon quickly scratched its head to keep it quiet. **_**I'll think about this later, **_**he decided, and left the room, carefully closing the door. **

**Returning with two strips of dried meat, he found the dragon sitting on the windowsill, watching the moon. He cut the meat into small squares and offered one to the dragon. It smelled the square cautiously, then jabbed its head forward like a snake and snatched the meat from his fingers, swallowing it whole with a peculiar jerk. The dragon prodded Eragon's hand for more food. **

Baldor broke a little smile _maybe Katrina is right, it doesn't seem so bad._

**He fed it, careful to keep his fingers out of the way. By the time there was only one square left, the dragon's belly was bulging. He proffered the last piece; the dragon considered it for a moment, then lazily snapped it up. Done eating, it crawled onto his arm and curled against his chest. Then it snorted, a puff of dark smoke rising from its nostrils. Eragon looked at it with wonder. **

"It does sound kind of cute in a way." Said Elain

"Doesn't mean it's not a dangerous animal." Cautioned Loring

"It has a cats attitude too, all high and mighty, like it's too good for some things." Said Albriech

**Just when he thought the dragon was asleep, a low humming came from its vibrating throat. Gently, he carried it to the bed and set it by his pillow. The dragon, eyes closed, wrapped its tail around the bedpost contentedly. Eragon lay next to it, flexing his hand in the near darkness. **

**He faced a painful dilemma: By raising a dragon, he could become a Rider.**

Morn stopped reading shocked; he looked up and saw that he was not the only one.

No one had thought about the fact that Eragon could become a Dragon Rider. It was inconceivable (My nod to the Princess Bride.) that someone from Palancar Valley could be a rider and Eragon of all people.

"Just because he has a dragon doesn't mean that he is a rider, I think he's getting a little ahead of himself there." Said Morn in a reasonable voice, well at least as reasonable as possible

"I agree" said Birgit "just because he has a dragon means nothing, but instead of talking and guessing let's let Morn continue with the book."

Everyone nodded, though some looked like they wished to say something.

Morn continued.

**Myths and stories about Riders were treasured, and being one would automatically place him among those legends.**

Slone rolled his eyes rudely.

**However, if the Empire discovered the dragon, he and his family would be put to death unless he joined the king. No one could—or would—help them. The simplest solution was just to kill the dragon,**

Roran nodded, _right in one cousin _

**but the idea was repugnant, and he rejected it. Dragons were too revered for him to even consider that. **_**Besides, what could betray us? **_**he thought. **_**We live in a remote area and have done nothing to draw attention.**_** The problem was convincing Garrow and Roran to let him keep the dragon. Neither of them would care to have a dragon around. **_**I could raise it in secret. In a month or two it**__**will be too large for Garrow to get rid of, but will he accept it? Even if he does, can I get**__**enough food for the dragon while it's hiding? It's no larger than a small cat, but it ate an**__**entire handful of meat! I suppose it'll be able to hunt for itself eventually, but how long**__**until then? Will it be able to survive the cold outside? **_**All the same, he wanted the dragon. The more he thought about it, the surer he was. However things might work out with Garrow, Eragon would do everything he could to protect it. Determined, he fell asleep with the dragon cradled against him. **

**When dawn came, the dragon was sitting atop his bedpost, like an ancient sentinel welcoming the new day. Eragon marveled at its color. He had never seen such a clear, hard blue. Its scales were like hundreds of small gemstones.**

"He sounds beautiful." Said Katrina

"How do you know he's a he?" Questioned Albirech

"I don't know I'm just guessing."

**He noticed that the white oval on his palm, where he had touched the dragon, had a silvery sheen. He hoped he could hide it by keeping his hands dirty. **

"He did a good job of it, of everything really, this is the first I am hearing of it." Said Roran

**The dragon launched off the post and glided to the floor. Eragon gingerly picked it up and left the quiet house, pausing to grab meat, several leather strips, and as many rags as he could carry. The crisp morning was beautiful; a fresh layer of snow covered the farm. He smiled as the small creature looked around with interest from the safety of his arms. Hurrying across the fields, he walked silently into the dark forest, searching for a safe place for the dragon to stay. Eventually he found a rowan tree standing alone on a barren knoll, its branches snow-tipped gray fingers that reached toward the sky. He set the dragon down by the base of the trunk and shook the leather onto the ground. With a few deft movements, he made a noose and slipped it over the dragon's head as it explored the snowy clumps surrounding the tree. The leather was worn, but it would hold. He watched the dragon crawl around, then untied the noose from its neck and fashioned a makeshift harness for its legs so the dragon would not strangle itself. Next he gathered an armful of sticks and built a crude hut high in the branches, layering the inside with rags and stashing the meat. Snow fell on his face as the tree swayed. He hung more rags over the front of the shelter to keep heat inside. Pleased, he surveyed his work. **

"He's acting like a mother hen with her chicks." Laughed Baldor

"As he should" said Elain "he has a responsibility to that dragon since he decided to keep it."

"Your mother is right son to keep it and not care for it properly or to mistreat it would be cruel and dishonorable." Said Horst

"Yes father, but it is a dragon not a dog, I'm sure it can fend for its self." Replied Baldor

Horst answered "Does not a mother bear care for her cubs? Dragon or not it is still young and needs to be cared for."

After a pause Morn started reading.

"**Time to show you your new home," he said, and lifted the dragon up into the branches. It wriggled, trying to get free, then clambered into the hut, where it ate a piece of meat, curled up, and blinked coyly at him. "You'll be fine as long as you stay in here," he instructed. The dragon blinked again. **

**Sure that it had not understood him,**

"Of course it did not understand you; you halfwit." Said Slone quietly, but not quietly enough because Katrina shot him a look.

**Eragon groped with his mind until he felt the dragon's consciousness. Again he had the terrible feeling of **_**openness **_**—of a space so large it pressed down on him like a heavy blanket. Summoning his strength, he focused on the dragon and tried to impress on it one idea: **_**Stay here. **_**The dragon stopped moving and cocked its head at him.**

"It's so strange thinking that this stuff is possible, I mean come on, a dragon just heard his thoughts."

"I think before this book is over we will see a lot of strange things." Said Quimby

"Aye, already this book has had elves, magic and dragons, and this is just the beginning." Horst added

**He pushed harder: **_**Stay here. **_**A dim acknowledgment came tentatively through the link, but Eragon wondered if it really understood. **_**After all, it's**__**only an animal. **_**He retreated from the contact with relief and felt the safety of his own mind envelop him. **

**Eragon left the tree, casting glances backward. The dragon stuck its head out of the shelter and watched with large eyes as he left. **

**After a hurried walk home, he sneaked back into his room to dispose of the egg fragments. He was sure Garrow and Roran would not notice the egg's absence—it had faded from their thoughts after they learned it could not be sold. **

**When his family got up, Roran mentioned that he had heard some noises during the night but, to Eragon's relief, did not pursue the issue. **

Roran grimaced and was mentally kicking himself about how if he had pushed the issue things could have been different; his father might still be here if I had just cared enough to ask more questions.

Katrina looked over and saw Roran and the look on his face, reaching over she grabbed his hand tightly.

"Roran?... Roran there is nothing you can do to change what happened; it's not your fault, it's the strangers fault. Do you hear me Roran? It's not your fault." She said firmly

Feeling Katrina's hand on his and hearing her words pulled him back to reality like nothing or no one else could.

He gave her a loving smile and nodded, then he looked to Morn and motioned for him to keep reading/

**Eragon's enthusiasm made the day go by quickly. The mark on his hand proved easy to hide, so he soon stopped worrying about it. Before long he headed back to the rowan, carrying sausages he had pilfered from the cellar. With apprehension, he approached the tree. **_**Is the dragon able to survive outside in winter? **_

**His fears were groundless. The dragon was perched on a branch, gnawing on something between its front legs. It started squeaking excitedly when it saw him. He was pleased to see that it had remained in the tree, above the reach of large predators. As soon as he dropped the sausages at the base of the trunk, the dragon glided down. While it voraciously tore apart the food,**

"Well it seems it has a healthy appetite." Said Loring

"Ya just imagine how much it could eat once it is fully grown. I bet it could clear out Slone's shop in minutes." Laughed Baldor with others in the room smiling at the thought.

Well except Slone of course "If that blasted overgrown lizard comes anywhere near my shop I will skin it." He barked getting a few cold looks.

**Eragon examined the shelter. All the meat he had left was gone, but the hut was intact, and tufts of feathers littered the floor. **_**Good. It can get its**__**own food. **_

"Well that simplifies things." Said Morn before he started reading again

**It struck him that he did not know if the dragon was a he or a she. He lifted and turned it over, ignoring its squeals of displeasure,**

"Well how would you feel being tossed and turned?" Said Birgit

**but was unable to find any distinguishing marks. **_**It seems like it won't give up any secrets without a struggle.**_** He spent a long time with the dragon. He untied it, set it on his shoulder, and went to explore the woods. The snow-laden trees watched over them like solemn pillars of a great cathedral. In that isolation, Eragon showed the dragon what he knew about the forest, not caring if it understood his meaning. It was the simple act of sharing that mattered. He talked to it continuously. The dragon gazed back at him with bright eyes, drinking in his words. For a while he just sat with it resting in his arms and watched it with wonder, still stunned by recent events. Eragon started for home at sunset, conscious of two hard blue eyes drilling into his back, indignant at being left behind. **

"There bonding." Said Elain with a smile

Katrina nodded smiling as well

**That night he brooded about all the things that could happen to a small and unprotected animal. Thoughts of ice storms and vicious animals tormented him. It took hours for him to find sleep. His dreams were of foxes and black wolves tearing at the dragon with bloody teeth. **

"I'm not sure about the wolves but I don't think he has to worry about the foxes." Said Horst

"Aye the foxes need to worry about it." Agreed Roran

**In the sunrise glow, Eragon ran from the house with food and scraps of cloth—extra insulation for the shelter. He found the dragon awake and safe, watching the sunrise from high in the tree. He fervently thanked all the gods, known and unknown. The dragon came down to the ground as he approached and leapt into his arms, huddling close to his chest. The cold had not harmed it, but it seemed frightened. A puff of dark smoke blew out of its nostrils. He stroked it comfortingly and sat with his back to the rowan, murmuring softly. He kept still as the dragon buried its head in his coat. After a while it crawled out of his embrace and onto his shoulder. He fed it, then wrapped the new rags around the hut. They played together for a time, but Eragon had to return to the house before long. **

**A smooth routine was quickly established. Every morning Eragon ran out to the tree and gave the dragon breakfast before hurrying back. During the day he attacked his chores until they were finished and he could visit the dragon again. Both Garrow and Roran noted his behavior and asked why he spent so much time outside. Eragon just shrugged and started checking to make sure he was not followed to the tree. After the first few days he stopped worrying that a mishap would befall the dragon. Its growth was explosive; it would soon be safe from most dangers. The dragon doubled in size in the first week. Four days later it was as high as his knee.**

"Wow it won't be little long growing like that." Whistled Gertrude

"How big do dragons actually get? I mean we have all heard stories but are those stories true, can they really get as big as some hills?" Asked Katrina

"Stories are all we have to go on, unless you are unlucky enough to see the kings black dragon. But the ones who have lived to tell the tell say it blocks out the sun." Said Morn with a shudder, being the only tavern owner in town had its perks, everyone passing through Carvahall stops in to the tavern and they usually talk to him.

**It no longer fit inside the hut in the rowan, so Eragon was forced to build a hidden shelter on the ground. The task took him three days. **

**When the dragon was a fortnight old, Eragon was compelled to let it roam free because it needed so much food. The first time he untied it, only the force of his will kept it from following him back to the farm. Every time it tried, he pushed it away with his mind until it learned to avoid the house and its other inhabitants. **

**And he impressed on the dragon the importance of hunting only in the Spine, where there was less chance of being seen. Farmers would notice if game started disappearing from Palancar Valley. It made him feel both safer and uneasy when the dragon was so far away. **

**The mental contact he shared with the dragon waxed stronger each day. He found that although it did not comprehend words, he could communicate with it through images or emotions. It was an imprecise method, however, and he was often misunderstood. The range at which they could touch each other's thoughts expanded rapidly. Soon Eragon could contact the dragon anywhere within three leagues. **

"I don't know if that is impressive or not seeing has how we just learned about being able to touch another creatures mind, but three leagues seems like a mighty good bit to me." Said Quimby to general agreement

**He often did so, and the dragon, in turn, would lightly brush against his mind. These mute conversations filled his working hours. There was always a small part of him connected to the dragon, ignored at times, but never forgotten. When he talked with people, the contact was distracting, like a fly buzzing in his ear. **

Roran shivered "I don't think I could handle always sharing my head space."

"Well be glad it did not hatch for you then, because it does not seem to stop once it starts." Said Horst

"Only if they are within three leagues of each other, otherwise his mind is his own." Corrected Morn scanning the book and then picked back up where he left off.

**As the dragon matured, its squeaks deepened to a roar and the humming became a low rumble, yet the dragon did not breathe fire, which concerned him. He had seen it blow smoke when it was upset, but there was never a hint of flame. **

"You know, I'm glad that dragon can't breath fire. Can you just imagine what it could do to the Spine let alone Carvahall." Said Quimby with a shudder picturing it

"This is the past we are reading about remember? Nothing burned down, and the dragon left with Eragon, stop worrying so much." Said Baldor

"We don't know if the dragon left with Eragon, it could still be in the Spine for all we know." Loring said

**When the month ended, Eragon's elbow was level with the dragon's shoulder. In that brief span, it had transformed from a small, weak animal into a powerful beast. Its hard scales were as tough as chain-mail armor, its teeth like daggers. Eragon took long walks in the evening with the dragon padding beside him. When they found a clearing, he would settle against a tree and watch the dragon soar through the air. He loved to see it fly and regretted that it was not yet big enough to ride. He often sat beside the dragon and rubbed its neck, feeling sinews and corded muscles flex under his hands. **

**Despite Eragon's efforts, the forest around the farm filled with signs of the dragon's existence. It was impossible to erase all the huge four-clawed footprints sunk deep in the snow, and he refused even to try to hide the giant dung heaps that were becoming far too common. The dragon had rubbed against trees, stripping off the bark, and had sharpened its claws on dead logs, leaving gashes inches deep. If Garrow or Roran went too far beyond the farm's boundaries, they would discover the dragon. Eragon could imagine no worse way for the truth to come out, so he decided to preempt it by explaining everything to them. **

"Well that never happened I wonder what stopped him?" asked Roran

**He wanted to do two things first, though**

"He wanted to do two things first." Said Baldor to answer Roran's last question

A few laughed and Roran just rolled his eyes muttering good heartedly about Baldor being a fool. It was one of the few times he felt like laughing since his father died.

**: give the dragon a suitable name and learn more about dragons in general. To that end he needed to talk with Brom, master of epics and legends—the only places where dragonlore survived. **

**So when Roran went to get a chisel repaired in Carvahall, Eragon volunteered to go with him. **

**The evening before they left, Eragon went to a small clearing in the forest and called the dragon with his mind. After a moment he saw a fast-moving speck in the dusky sky. The dragon dived toward him, pulled up sharply, then leveled off above the trees. He heard a low-pitched whistle as air rushed over its wings. It banked slowly to his left and spiraled gently down to the ground. The dragon back-flapped for balance with a deep, muffled **_**thwump **_**as it landed. **

There were many awed faces in the room but no one spoke, for which Morn was glad.

**Eragon opened his mind, still uncomfortable with the strange sensation, and told the dragon that he was leaving. It snorted with unease. He attempted to soothe it with a calming mental picture, but the dragon whipped its tail, unsatisfied. He rested his hand on its shoulder and tried to radiate peace and serenity. Scales bumped under his fingers as he patted it gently. **

**A single word rang in his head, deep and clear. **

_**Eragon. **_

"Do what? Is someone calling his name?" Asked Elain

Morn who had read ahead said with a shocked voice "Aye someone is calling his name or should I say something."

A few people opened their mouth to talk but he hushed them saying "Let me finish, the chapter is almost over then we can talk."

**It was solemn and sad, as if an unbreakable pact were being sealed. He stared at the dragon and a cold tingle ran down his arm. **

_**Eragon. **_

"OH. MY. GOD." Said Katrina

**A hard knot formed in his stomach as unfathomable sapphire eyes gazed back at him. For the first time he did not think of the dragon as an animal. It was something else, something . . . different. He raced home, trying to escape the dragon. **_**My dragon.**__**Eragon.**_

"That's the last of it." Said Morn setting down the book and looking around

No one spoke. Their world was changing in front of their eyes, what they believed to be true yesterday is not true today. Animals speaking and flying and Eragon talking with his mind, it was just too much for them to handle.

At last Horst spoke "We have had a hard day today and read about many strange things. I suggest that we stop for tonight and pick back up where we left off in the morning, are we agreed?"

With that everyone got up to go home, their minds racing. Tomorrow would be another long day and they needed their rest.

**This Chapter was really hard for me and I don't think it is my best work but it's as good as its going to get. I hope you liked it and review it.**


	7. AN

I am putting this story on the backburner indefinitely. I know this story is well liked by a lot of people so let me explain why.

It is so hard writing for characters that have no clue as to what is going on, and it would only get harder when magic and other things start happening. I feel like I am repeating myself with the shock, amassment and so on. They just can't fully comprehend what is happening.

I feel like I am not doing the characters justice.

I feel like this plot is a dead end.

I am working on another story where characters read books 3&4 after the battle of the Burning Plaines.

It will have a number of characters such as: Arya(Personal favorite), Eragon, Saphira, Orik, Nasuada, Roran and Katrina. It will be after they rescue Katrina from helgrind. I plan on writing a good number of chapters before I start posting so it will be a while before that happens. Again I'm sorry for dropping my other story but it felt like the right thing to do.


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